The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which assumed power in Tamil Nadu five months ago, secured its first electoral test on Friday, October 9, 2026, by winning the Madurantakam and Dharapuram (Reserved) Assembly seats. In Puducherry, the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) retained the Thattanchavady constituency.
In Madurantakam, TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel won with a margin of 20,040 votes, while in Dharapuram, P. Sathyabama secured victory by 9,471 votes. Both had previously contested the April–May 2026 elections as AIADMK candidates and later defected to the ruling party after resigning as MLAs. The nearest rivals were DMK candidates I. Paranthamen and S. Suganya, who finished second, while AIADMK nominees S. Kanitha Sampath and K. Banumathi placed third.
Candidates from the CPI, CPI(Marxist), and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) performed poorly in both constituencies, with all four forfeiting their deposits. NTK received 2.92% and 1.46% of the vote in Madurantakam and Dharapuram respectively, while the CPI and CPI(M) garnered about 0.6% and 1.07% of the votes.
With these wins, the TVK’s strength in the Assembly rose to 108 seats, excluding the Speaker, though five seats remain vacant. The state’s history of favoring the incumbent party in by‑elections was evident, and prominent leaders from the major parties campaigned extensively. TVK president and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay visited both constituencies, while DMK leaders M.K. Stalin, Udhayanidhi Stalin, and MP Kanimozhi Rajathi Karunanidhi canvassed votes.
In Thattanchavady, AINRC’s Ashok Anand defeated Congress candidate E. Vinayagam by 8,482 votes, securing 13,358 votes to Vinayagam’s 4,876. The AINRC is backed by the BJP and AIADMK, whereas the Congress receives support from the TVK. The DMK, CPI, NTK, and six other candidates forfeited their deposits in the contest.
