Published Oct 02, 2026 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 02, 2026 | 7:00 AM
A composite visual featuring key political figures and the Maduranthakam municipal bus stand arch ahead of the October 6 bypoll.
Synopsis: Campaigning for the bypoll at Maduranthakam is shaping up more as a contest over Maragatham Kumaravel’s personal ground connect, with voters divided across TVK, AIADMK and DMK. With the PMK staying neutral, the Vanniyar vote could be crucial, while TVK’s alliance support and Maragatham’s cross-community appeal add another layer to an already closely watched contest.
Around 10 am on Wednesday, 30 September, Maduranthakam squinted in the bright sun, with the scorching heat creating illusory floaters and mirages on the main road. Yellow was everywhere, the colour associated with the Vanniyars, and even the TVK and DMK.
The floaters, the mirages and the fluttering yellow formed the afterimage. Yellow was everywhere: festoons above the streets, giant banners on which political leaders smiled at sweating passersby, election notices littering the roads, and posters hiding the walls.
Midday was still a couple of hours away, but the heat was unbearable. Still, Maduranthakam, a southernmost suburb of Chennai city and a municipality in the Chengalpattu district, was bustling as people went about their business.
Amidst the daily hustle and bustle, a political undercurrent was visible. People discussed politics, often with animated gestures, as the Maduranthakan Assembly constituency prepared for a bypoll on 6 October.
The by-election was necessitated after AIADMK MLA Maragatham Kumaravel, who won the Maduranthakam Assembly constituency in the April 2026 election, resigned as MLA and joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The constituency will go to polls along with Dharapuram.
Across Tamil Nadu, the C. Joseph Vijay-led TVK swept to power just two years after the party was launched, riding what was widely described as a “Vijay wave”. But Maduranthakam had then delivered a different verdict.
Even in the upcoming by-election, TVK leader Vijay, DMK’s MK Stalin or AIADMK’s Edappadi K. Palaniswami may not influence the outcome. On the ground, the contest increasingly looked like AIADMK’s Maragatham Kumaravel vs TVK’s Maragatham Kumaravel.
Amidst the din of the upcoming polling, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) decided to stay away and remain neutral. The PMK has considerable influence in the constituency, and its stand has put the votes of the Vanniyars, who form a significant section of the electorate, in a potentially decisive position.
Also Read: MLA defections must have a price: Will Tamil Nadu voters charge it?
Maduranthakam Assembly constituency in Chengalpattu district is a reserved constituency. It has 2,12,639 voters: 1,04,496 men, 1,08,078 women, and 65 voters from other categories.
Congress workers seek votes for TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel in Maduranthakam, as the Congress backs the TVK-led alliance in the bypoll.
The constituency has a diverse social composition, with Scheduled Caste voters estimated to account for around 37-40 per cent of the electorate, Vanniyars around 25-30 per cent, Mudaliars around 14 per cent, Dalit Christians around 4 per cent, along with Muslim voters spread across different areas.
Vanniyars broadly supported the PMK and the DMK. A section of Mudaliar voters also backed the DMK.
The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has a strong presence among Dalit voters. Among Dalit Christians, the relatively new TVK has emerged as an important political force.
However, AIADMK and TVK have support bases that cut across communities.
This has historically made Maduranthakam a constituency where the AIADMK and DMK have alternated in winning elections.
Maragatham Kumaravel won the constituency for the AIADMK in both the 2021 and 2026 Assembly elections. The PMK’s past alliance with the AIADMK was an important factor behind her victories.
With the PMK playing neutral, one key question is how the Vanniyar vote will split. Another is whether the “Vijay wave” will translate into votes again in this election.
Also Read: TMC (M) announces support for TVK in Maduranthakam, Dharapuram bypolls
Maduranthakam is currently witnessing a five-cornered contest.
DMK flags line a road in Maduranthakam as the party seeks to consolidate its support among voters ahead of the bypoll.
Former MLA Kanitha Sampath is contesting for the AIADMK, former MLA A Parandhaman for the DMK, former MLA Maragatham Kumaravel for TVK, G Janakiraman for Naam Tamilar Katchi and S Suganthi for the Left parties.
However, the most intense contest on the ground appears to be between the TVK, AIADMK and DMK.
The TVK-led Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance has the support of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), which has a significant support base among Dalit voters, as well as the Congress, which has an established party organisation, along with the IUML and other alliance partners. It could work in TVK’s favour this time.
At the same time, the AIADMK, which won the constituency in the previous election, is contesting this time without PMK’s support, and is relying on the BJP and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK). The PMK’s absence has put the party at a disadvantage.
The DMK, too, is contesting with the support of only a handful of parties, unlike in the previous election, which is also seen as a disadvantage in this constituency.
Also Read: Vijay brings up Veeramani POCSO case in Maduranthakam campaign
Voters support each of the three major parties for different reasons. The Vanniyar votes appear to be divided among the three.
A large cut-out of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa stands along a campaign road in Maduranthakam.
Opposite the Maduranthakam bus stand is Theradi Veethi, popularly known as Vanniyar Street, where many Vanniyar families live.
Almost everyone there identified themselves as PMK supporters. But with the PMK not backing any party this time, voters’ preferences appear divided.
Take 35-year-old Priya, for instance. A resident of Vanniyar Street, she voted for the AIADMK in the previous election and was initially prepared to vote for TVK this time. But Maragatham Kumaravel’s decision to contest the by-election for TVK has left her confused.
“She is contesting again, but I still don’t understand why. She needs to explain why she resigned. She has not given a convincing explanation so far. So I don’t feel like voting for either of these two parties. I am thinking of voting for the DMK this time,” she said.
Seventy-year-old N Ezhumalai, also from Vanniyar Street, is unhappy with Maragatham Kumaravel. But his vote will go to AIADMK candidate Kanitha Sampath.
“Maragatham Kumaravel’s time was not favourable, so she joined TVK. Kanitha Sampath lost everything and is contesting again now. I want to vote for her so that she can bounce back,” he said.
A staunch AIADMK supporter, Ezhumalai said he might have considered supporting Vijay if he had waited another five years.
“It would have been better if Vijay had waited for these five years and contested next time. He defeated Edappadi, so I cannot give him an opportunity now,” he said.
Shankar, another Vanniyar Street resident, has been a long-time DMK supporter. For him, the party matters more than the individual candidate.
“I don’t have anything against Vijay or anyone else. I vote for the party. I voted for the DMK last time, and my vote will go to the DMK this time as well,” he said.
His friend Ravi, also from Vanniyar Street, said he too would vote for the DMK. But his reason is different.
One of the 717 TASMAC outlets closed after Vijay’s government came to power was located in this area. As a result, several residents now travel to nearby Gandhi Nagar to consume alcohol.
Gandhi Nagar, notably, is predominantly inhabited by Dalit residents.
“I work hard for a living, and now I have to travel all the way to Gandhi Nagar. If they close one shop, will everyone stop drinking? I don’t like him because of this,” Ravi said.
He added that local DMK leaders help people with their problems and that his vote would therefore go to the party.
Also Read: Three AIADMK MLAs resign and cross over to TVK
The road from Maduranthakam to Cheyyar passes through several villages. Many of these villages have a significant Vanniyar population.
Maragatham Kumaravel
Sixty-year-old Subramani from Pudhu Mambakkam said, “I voted for the Two Leaves (AIADMK) symbol last time. But this time, everyone is asking us to vote for Vijay. So I am thinking of changing my preference.”
But 75-year-old Mariyamma from the same area has changed her mind in the opposite direction. She voted for TVK in the previous election.
“My husband has passed away. While he was alive, we voted for the DMK. Last time, my sons asked me to vote for the whistle symbol. Everyone says they will do this and that. Let the sun (DMK) come and do it,” Mariyamma said.
However, most young voters said they will back Vijay and TVK. They are also persuading their parents and other family members to vote for the party.
While older voters showed mixed responses toward the three parties, a clear section of young voters appeared to be leaning toward TVK.
Breaking caste barriers, many of these young voters from the Vanniyar community are supporting Maragatham Kumaravel, who hails from the Dalit community.
Also Read: Inside TVK’s play for AIADMK leaders
Many people recalled Maragatham Kumaravel as a politician with a strong grassroots presence.
G Bhanu, a voter from Maduranthakam, told South First that she would support Maragatham Kumaravel regardless of the party she contests for.
Maragatham Kumaravel began her campaign from Deva’s tea stall near the Maduranthakam bus stand. Vijay also began his campaign from the same location after garlanding a statue of former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran.
The statue is located opposite Deva’s shop.
“I am an AIADMK supporter, but this time I think Maragatham Kumaravel has a good chance of winning. She has strong grassroots support and has done a lot for the people. With Vijay’s support also behind her, she could win,” Deva is confident of a TVK win.
At Vilvarayanallur, an area with a large Dalit population, G Bhanu is a staunch supporter of Maragatham Kumaravel.
“It is not because of Vijay. Whoever Maragatham Kumaravel contests for, I will vote for her. After she came, several government offices were established here. She has helped us in many ways. So wherever she is, that is the party I will vote for,” she said.
Her friend K Prema is a Vijay fan.
“Vijay’s government is better than the previous government. I voted for him in the last election. This time too, I will vote for TVK,” Prema said.
When asked why she would vote for Maragatham Kumaravel despite having contested the previous election on an AIADMK ticket, she said, “It is okay. She has joined our brother (Vijay). I believe they will do good things for the constituency. So my vote is for them.”
Interestingly, Maragatham Kumaravel appears to be far more familiar to voters than the other candidates. Many voters could not identify AIADMK candidate Kanitha Sampath, DMK candidate Parandhaman, NTK candidate Janakiraman or Left candidate Suganthi.
“Kanitha Sampath has been without a position for the last six years, so she is not widely known among the people. Similarly, Parandhaman is not from this area, which has also affected his support,” Deva said.
Money distribution is also expected to play a significant role in the election.
A young man on Vanniyar Street openly said that he would decide whom to support only after receiving money from the candidates.
On Thursday, 1 October, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary P Shanmugam alleged that parties, including TVK, were distributing money for votes.
“The Left parties are contesting in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram. Yesterday, when we visited several villages in Maduranthakam, we only distributed pamphlets seeking votes. We explained why we were contesting, what our policies are and why people should vote for us,” he told reporters.
“But in some villages, people asked us, ‘Everyone else is giving money. You are only giving pamphlets.’ I asked them which parties had given money. The voters told us that, among all the parties, TVK had given the most money. The CM has repeatedly said that TVK does not give cash for votes. But voters in Maduranthakam told us that TVK was the party that had given the most money,” he further stated.
“Voters even asked us, ‘If you cannot give as much as them, at least give us something.’ These parties have created a situation where voters bargain for their votes. But we told them that, as Communists, we cannot give money for votes,” the CPI(M) leader said.
For the ruling party, by-elections are often considered relatively easier to win. But Maduranthakam presents an important test for TVK and its leader Vijay.
For the DMK, which lost the previous election, a victory here would carry significance. For the AIADMK, which won the constituency in the last election but couldn’t retain Maragatham Kumaravel after she crossed over to TVK, the by-election is equally important.
As a result, the three major parties, particularly TVK, AIADMK and DMK, are campaigning aggressively across the constituency.
But on the ground, the story in Maduranthakam may be less about a sweeping “Vijay wave” but more about one familiar name: Maragatham Kumaravel.
The question is: will voters follow AIADMK’s Maragatham Kumaravel, or TVK’s Maragatham Kumaravel?
In Maduranthakam, Maragatham’s own ground connection, rather than a broader Vijay wave, could determine the outcome.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
