Published Oct 09, 2026 | 5:15 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 09, 2026 | 5:22 PM
Within weeks of the election results, four AIADMK MLAs resigned from the Assembly and joined the TVK.
Synopsis: TVK’s victories in the Dharapuram and Madurantakam by-elections have increased its Assembly tally to 109, pushing AIADMK to third place in both constituencies while the DMK finished second. However, TVK remains nine seats short of the 118-seat majority mark and continues to depend on its allies.
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has won the Dharapuram and Madurantakam Assembly by-elections, increasing its strength in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
The by-elections were held on October 6, with votes counted on Friday, October 9. In both constituencies, TVK defeated the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which had won both seats in the May 2026 Assembly election, finished third.
In Dharapuram, TVK candidate P. Sathyabama defeated DMK’s S. Suganya by a margin of 9,471 votes. Sathyabama secured 66,841 votes while Suganya got 57,370 votes. AIADMK candidate K. Bhanumathi finished third with 45,280 votes.
In Madurantakam, TVK candidate K. Maragatham Kumaravel secured 72,149 votes, defeating DMK candidate I. Paranthamen, who polled 52,068 votes, by a margin of 20,081 votes. AIADMK candidate S. Kanitha Sampath came third with 42,370 votes.
The results mark a shift from the May election, when AIADMK candidates won both constituencies. However, the DMK finished second in both elections.
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The Dharapuram and Madurantakam by-election results reveal contrasting trends in the electoral performance of the two former AIADMK MLAs who switched to TVK.
In Dharapuram, P. Sathyabama’s vote count declined by 14,259, while her victory margin narrowed to 9,471 votes, a reduction of 7,256 votes. She had won the May 2026 Assembly election on an AIADMK ticket with 81,100 votes and a margin of 16,727 votes. The DMK, which secured 64,373 votes in May, polled 57,370 votes in the by-election, while AIADMK slipped to third place with 45,280 votes.
In Madurantakam, K. Maragatham Kumaravel improved her electoral performance after switching to the TVK. She had won the May election on an AIADMK ticket with 69,284 votes, defeating TVK candidate Ezhil Katharine Ezhilmalai by 7,194 votes. In the by-election, she secured 72,149 votes and expanded her victory margin to 20,081 votes against DMK candidate I. Paranthamen, who polled 52,068 votes. AIADMK finished third with 42,370 votes.
While Sathyabama retained Dharapuram with a reduced vote count and narrower margin, Maragatham Kumaravel increased both her votes and winning margin in Madurantakam.
The outcome is a setback for AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, whose party had won both seats in May but could not retain either constituency in the by-elections.
Political circles have also pointed to the absence of an alliance between AIADMK and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as a possible factor in Madurantakam, where Vanniyar voters constitute a significant section of the electorate.
The Left parties also contested the by-elections independently and campaigned against TVK. CPI(M) candidate S. Sugandhi secured 1,679 votes in Madurantakam, while CPI candidate P. Lakshmanan received 1,157 votes in Dharapuram.
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In the May 2026 Assembly election, TVK won 108 of the 234 seats, emerging as the single largest party but falling short of the 118-seat majority mark.
The party subsequently formed the government under Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, with the support of the Congress, which won five seats; the VCK, which won two; the Left parties, which won four; and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which won two.
Shortly after the government was formed, six AIADMK MLAs, including Sathyabama and Kumaravel, resigned from the Assembly and subsequently joined TVK.
Their resignations created vacancies in the constituencies. The resulting political developments prompted AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to accuse TVK of attempting to secure an independent majority by inducing opposition MLAs to join the party.
With Sathyabama and Maragatham Kumaravel winning the two by-elections as TVK candidates, the party has added two seats to its sitting strength.
The remaining five vacancies are in Tiruchirappalli East, Perundurai, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai and Karur. By-elections in these constituencies have been delayed amid legal proceedings concerning the vacancies.
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The Dharapuram and Madurantakam results strengthen TVK’s position but do not give it an independent majority. The party still needs nine additional seats to reach 118, based on the current tally and the full strength of the Assembly.
The by-elections to fill the remaining vacancies could prove significant in the coming months. Whether TVK can further increase its Assembly strength and whether the government can secure an independent majority without relying on its allies will remain key questions in Tamil Nadu politics.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
