Message for Narendra Modi from Tamil Nadu: 'Madam Would Like Close Ties'

Chennai: Old allies seem to be dialing the BJP with exit polls indicating that its National Democratic Alliance or NDA is on course to stage a comeback at the Centre.

This morning, a leader from J Jayalalithaa's AIADMK made what sounded like an offer. "Modi is great friend of Jayalalithaa, they may differ politically. If he becomes PM then Madam would like close ties," AIADMK leader and former MP K Malaisamy said. (India Votes 2014: Full coverage)

While campaigning for the general elections, Mr Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate and Ms Jayalalithaa, Tamil Nadu's chief minister, had attacked each other in speeches. But the tenor of the BJP leader's attacks on Ms Jayalalithaa was far more gentle than his acerbic duels with Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal. 

Meanwhile, another regional heavyweight - Naveen Patnaik, chief minister of Odisha - has not ruled out supporting a government led by Mr Modi. On Tuesday, a senior leader from Mr Patnaik's party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) said it could offer "conditional support" to a BJP government. (Naveen Patnaik Doesn't Rule Out Support For BJP)

And as voting ended in the nine-phase election on Monday, Mr Modi reached out in a blog post to other political parties suggesting that the "heat and dust" of a hard-fought campaign be now put behind. "This is the right time to look ahead. It is a time to connect with each other...Let us place people over politics, hope over despair, healing over hurting, inclusion over exclusion and development over divisiveness," he wrote. (Narendra Modi blogs on the conclusion of 2014 Lok Sabha Elections)

Exit polls show that the BJP will win a narrow majority in Parliament or get within striking distance of it. In both scenarios, Mr Modi will need new partners to ensure a stable government. (Narendra Modi-led BJP Set For Victory, Exit Polls Show)

Both Ms Banerjee and Ms Jayalalithaa have been part of the NDA in the past and were seen as potential post-poll allies should the BJP need help to form government. But Ms Banerjee has since been very emphatic that she will not support a government with Mr Modi at the helm. (Will Never, Ever Have an Alliance with BJP: Mamata Banerjee)

With Ms Jayalalithaa, Mr Modi is said to share a good personal equation. Both leaders had attended each other's oath-taking ceremonies as chief ministers of their states.

The AIADMK is expected to pocket the biggest share of Tamil Nadu's 39 seats.