Tiruppur: The road to stopping the Vijay juggernaut starts in Dharapuram, a reserved constituency in western Tamil Nadu, where the resignation of the sitting AIADMK MLA and her subsequent switch to the ruling TVK, just weeks after the 2026 Assembly elections, has necessitated a bypoll.
The Election Commission has scheduled bypolls in Dharapuram and Madurantakam, another reserved constituency where the sitting AIADMK MLA resigned and joined the TVK, on October 6. While Madurantakam, around 80 km from Chennai, is expected to be a relatively easy contest for the ruling TVK, Dharapuram presents Vijay with his first serious political challenge.
While the TVK needs to win both seats to demonstrate that Vijay’s rapid political ascent was not a fluke, the DMK and AIADMK are looking for at least one victory to demonstrate that anti-incumbency is beginning to set in against the Vijay government and highlight the lack of experience in his Cabinet.
TVK, AIADMK And DMK In Three-Cornered Fight
This reporter spent a day travelling through 10 villages and towns in Dharapuram, part of Tiruppur district, India’s knitwear capital. Interactions with several dozen voters indicated that the bypoll is shaping up as a strong three-cornered contest between the TVK, AIADMK and principal Opposition party DMK.
The DMK has stepped up its campaign, bringing in loyalists of former ministers Senthil Balaji, I Periyasamy and KN Nehru from Karur, Dindigul and Tiruchirappalli districts to work in the constituency. The TVK, too, has deployed three ministers, including KA Sengottaiyan and KG Arunraj, after the party finished third in the Assembly elections four months ago.
Sathyabama’s Switch Becomes Major Campaign Issue
Both the DMK and AIADMK are seeking to build momentum around the volte-face by TVK candidate P Sathyabama. DMK candidate S Suganya is campaigning with a suitcase as a jibe at Sathyabama’s switch, while the AIADMK is appealing to voters to teach a lesson to a “backstabber” elected on the party’s two-leaves symbol.
The campaign appears to have struck a chord with voters. “What was the need for her to resign even before the indelible ink on our fingers disappeared?” asked R Ramasamy, 71, a farmer from Suriyanallur village.
The resentment against Sathyabama is so strong that several voters said the TVK could have swept the election had it fielded another candidate.
Water And Irrigation Remain Key Voter Concerns
Underneath the political rhetoric, however, access to water for irrigation and domestic use remains the biggest public concern in the dry and parched constituency.
“We are agricultural labourers working hard in the fields, but are unable to take a bath for a week,” said a group of women in Nandavanapalayam village, which lacks a basic health facility and a middle school.
Release of water from a local dam and a water-sharing project with Kerala have become common topics of discussion in villages ahead of the polls. Naveen, 35, a farmer in Rudravathi, said the government had not processed farm power connections under the Tatkal scheme despite farmers paying as much as Rs 3 lakh, affecting irrigation.
Gounder Votes Could Influence Dharapuram Contest
With the Vijay government having given ministerial portfolios to eight Dalits, a silent consolidation among the numerically strong OBC Gounder community, which has traditionally backed the AIADMK, could tilt the scales in Dharapuram. However, the DMK is also making inroads into the community’s vote bank, and a division could benefit the TVK, a local DMK leader said.
Frequent power cuts, inconsistent announcements on farm loan waivers, milk availability and the inexperience of the young TVK government led by Chief Minister Vijay are also talking points among voters. Yet, voters in both urban and rural parts of Dharapuram said it was too early to judge the new government.
Vijay’s Popularity Faces Test Against Local Anger
“The million-dollar question is whether the negative sentiment against Sathyabama can be trumped by Vijay’s charisma. Maybe things might change after his campaign,” said R Stanly, a long-time resident and local political functionary.
A veteran Village Administrative Officer (VAO) in the constituency said Vijay’s focus on reducing corruption had made a major impact, although he agreed that the message resonated more strongly among urban voters than those in rural areas.
In Mulanur town, fruit shop employees S Subramani and T Sudha said they were clear about voting for Vijay’s whistle symbol. They said they were impressed by the 200-unit free electricity scheme, which they claimed had reduced their power bills.
Minority Votes Also In Focus
In a tough three-cornered contest, minority votes are also expected to play a crucial role, according to political observers.
