TVK Secures Both Tamil Nadu Bypolls, Bolstering Vijay’s Minority Government

On October 6, 2026 the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) fielded former AIADMK legislators K Maragatham Kumaravel (Madurantakam) and P Sathyabama (Dharapuram). The Election Commission announced that Kumaravel received 74,048 votes, beating DMK candidate I Paranthamen by 20,040 votes. In Dharapuram, Sathyabama secured 66,841 votes, defeating DMK’s S Suganya by 9,471 votes. AIADMK candidates finished third in both contests. The victories raise TVK’s tally from 107 to 109 seats in the 234-member Assembly.

Bypoll results: TVK wins Madurantakam, Dharapuram seats; BJP sweeps Nandigram, Rejinagar; AINRC retains Thattanchavady The HinduTVK candidates Maragatham Kumaravel, P Sathyabama win Madurantakam and Dharapuram byelections in Tamil Nadu TVK’s P Sathyabama wins Dharapuram byelection; Vijay party's Maragatham Kumaravel extends her lead in Madurantakam ThePrintHindustan TimesThePrint

The by-elections were triggered after Kumaravel and Sathyabama resigned from the AIADMK and joined TVK in May 2026, shortly after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay was sworn in. Their resignations forced fresh polls in the two reserved constituencies, providing the new government an early test of its electoral appeal. TVK had formed a minority government after the April 2026 Assembly election, relying on external support from the Indian National Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and left parties.

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• TVK vote share: 39.96 % (Madurantakam) and 37.02 % (Dharapuram).

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• DMK vote share: 29.15 % and 31.78 %.

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• AIADMK vote share: 25.61 % and 25.08 %.

The Indian Express

• Voter turnout: 86.26 % (Madurantakam) and 80.3 % (Dharapuram).

ThePrint

• Assembly majority threshold: 118 seats; TVK remains nine seats short after the by-polls.

ThePrint

Energy Resources and Law Minister Nirmal Kumar said the results endorse Vijay’s governance. Congress higher-education minister P Viswanathan credited the alliance’s support in Madurantakam. VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan hailed the win as an endorsement of the coalition.

Deccan Chronicle

DMK president M K Stalin called the result “an interim victory for betrayal” and alleged TVK used government machinery to secure the seats. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami described the win as a “temporary setback” and pointed to the narrow margin in Dharapuram as evidence of the party’s residual strength.

ThePrint

The two seats increase TVK’s legislative strength to 109, reducing its reliance on external allies but leaving it still short of a simple majority. The outcome tests whether defections from the AIADMK can translate into durable voter support for TVK and sets the tone for upcoming by-polls in five additional constituencies.

Deccan Chronicle

Turnout figures differ slightly across sources: some cite 86.3 % and 80.3 % while others note 86.26 % and 80.3 %. No source provides a definitive explanation for the variation. TVK leaders claim the win reflects a broad mandate; opposition parties emphasize reduced margins compared with the April election, highlighting a lack of consensus on the results’ significance.

ThePrint

• “TVK may think it has entered the fortress of the AIADMK. But this is only a temporary victory for them,” — party spokesperson.

Hindustan Times