Tamil Nadu Bypolls: TVK Leads In Two Seats, AINRC Retains Puducherry's Thattanchavady

Chennai: The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), headed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, was poised to increase its strength in the 234-member Assembly to 109, with its candidates leading their nearest DMK rivals in the Dharapuram and Madurantakam bypolls on Friday. Both candidates were former AIADMK legislators who had resigned their seats and joined the TVK.

However, the party's performance in the bypolls was less spectacular than its showing in the Assembly elections held earlier this year. The DMK, finishing second in both constituencies, put up a respectable performance, pushing the AIADMK to third place despite changes in political alignments following the Assembly election results.

The results could indicate a preference among voters for the ruling party, although the circumstances that necessitated the bypolls also merit consideration. At the same time, the victories of the two former AIADMK legislators could encourage the TVK to encourage further defections from the Dravidian party, with MLAs resigning their seats and contesting subsequent bypolls on the ruling party’s ticket to increase its strength in the Assembly. Five other Assembly seats remain vacant, including four vacated by AIADMK legislators, with bypolls expected in the coming months.

AINRC wins Puducherry bypoll

In neighbouring Puducherry, the ruling All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) candidate Ashok Anand won the bypoll in Thattanchavady, defeating his nearest Congress rival, E. Vinayagam, by a margin of 8,482 votes. Anand polled 13,358 votes, while Vinayagam secured 4,876. The vacancy arose after Chief Minister N. Rangasamy resigned from the seat, having won from two constituencies in the Assembly elections held earlier this year.

Former AIADMK legislators contest on TVK tickets

The vacancies in the reserved constituencies of Dharapuram and Madurantakam arose after AIADMK MLAs P. Sathyabama and Maragatham Kumaravel resigned within three weeks of the Assembly election results to join the TVK. The ruling party subsequently fielded both candidates in the bypolls.

Sathyabama wins Dharapuram bypoll

Sathyabama was declared elected in Dharapuram by a margin of 9,471 votes. She secured 66,841 votes against 57,370 polled by her nearest DMK rival, S. Suganya. The AIADMK candidate, K. Banumathi, who had led in the initial rounds of counting, finished third with 44,874 votes.

In the Assembly elections, Sathyabama, then representing the AIADMK, had polled 81,100 votes (40.78%), against the DMK's 64,373 (32.37%). The TVK candidate had finished third with 46,438 votes (23.35%).

Despite facing visible opposition on the ground for switching parties, Sathyabama managed to establish a lead. On polling day, she was also drawn into a controversy over a video in which a woman resembling her was heard making derogatory remarks about the TVK. Vijay’s two-day campaign in the constituency, including a roadshow, may have helped the party consolidate support, although the extent of its impact on the result is difficult to determine.

TVK leads in Madurantakam

In Madurantakam, counting had been completed in 15 of the 21 rounds as of 4.30 pm, with TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel leading with 53,979 votes against 38,430 polled by the DMK's I. Paranthamen.

In the Assembly elections, Maragatham Kumaravel, then representing the AIADMK, had secured 69,284 votes (34.95%). The TVK had finished second with 62,090 votes (31.45%), while the DMK had polled 59,838 votes (30.18%) to finish third.

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When Maragatham Kumaravel’s lead translates into a victory, it would mark her third consecutive win in the constituency. She had won the seat in 2021 and had previously served as a Member of Parliament from the Kancheepuram constituency.

Bypoll results raise opposition concerns

The DMK’s second-place finishes in both constituencies could offer some consolation to the principal opposition party, which contested the bypolls largely on its own strength. For the AIADMK, the results could raise concerns about its electoral position and the possibility of further defections to the TVK.