Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has passed its first real test at the ballot box. The party swept both the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly by-elections on Friday, October 9, defeating the DMK in two straight contests and giving the four-month-old Vijay government a shot of political momentum.
The bypolls became necessary after the legislators elected from both seats on AIADMK tickets resigned and joined TVK, setting up a fight that was always going to be read as an early verdict on the new ruling party.
TVK wins Tamil Nadu bypolls: the numbers
In Madurantakam, an SC-reserved constituency in Chengalpattu district, TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel secured 61,470 votes, defeating DMK candidate Paranthaman, who polled 43,916 votes — a winning margin of 17,554 votes. AIADMK's Ganitha Sampath finished third with 38,770 votes, followed by Naam Tamilar Katchi's Janakiraman (1,703) and CPI(M)'s Sugandhi (1,441). Counting was completed in 21 rounds, with the constituency recording a high 86.26 per cent turnout — 1,84,413 of 2,13,788 registered voters cast ballots. A total of 27 candidates contested the seat.
In Dharapuram, an ST-reserved seat in Tiruppur district, TVK candidate Sathyabama won with 62,596 votes, defeating DMK's Sukanya, who secured 52,400 votes — a margin of 10,196 votes. AIADMK's Bhanumathi finished third with 41,078 votes, followed by NTK's Karthika (4,954) and CPI's Lakshmanan (1,099). Counting went 23 rounds, and 22 candidates contested. Turnout stood at 80.30 per cent, with 1,79,314 of 2,23,306 registered voters casting their ballots.
Vijay calls it a verdict; Stalin calls it betrayal
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Friday congratulated both candidates on their "victory." Targeting the opposition DMK, Vijay said the electoral win was a vote against "defamatory speech aimed at women," according to the New Indian Express.
Tamil Nadu Minister Nirmal Kumar went further, calling the twin victories an endorsement of the Chief Minister's governance and leadership. "The credit for the victory goes to Chief Minister Vijay's governance and leadership," Nirmal Kumar told reporters in Chennai. "The results are a direct endorsement of the good governance of the 4-month-old TVK government."
The DMK refused to accept the narrative. Party president M. K. Stalin on Friday described the TVK's bypoll win as a "temporary victory for betrayal" and said the downfall of "false image politics" had begun. In a social media post written in Tamil, the former chief minister described the by-elections as a "blatant murder of democracy."
Stalin also accused Vijay of violating the model code of conduct by announcing welfare initiatives after the by-elections were notified — a charge that keeps the post-poll legal and political skirmish alive.
Why it matters
These were only two seats, but their meaning runs much deeper. For Vijay's TVK, the wins answer the single biggest question hanging over a government led by a former actor who took power in May: can his party convert its statewide popularity into constituency-level results? On Friday, the answer was yes.
The results also cut against the opposition's main line of attack. The DMK and AIADMK framed the bypolls as verdicts on defections — legislators who won on AIADMK tickets and then crossed to TVK. Both opposition parties finished well behind, suggesting voters in these two seats did not punish the switch.
And the DMK's second-place finishes, with the AIADMK pushed to third in both constituencies, rearrange the Tamil Nadu pecking order: the DMK remains the principal opposition, but the AIADMK — the party whose MLAs defected — looks diminished in its own former strongholds.
What happens next
The immediate political battle moves to the fallout. Stalin's "murder of democracy" charge and his MCC-violation allegation against Vijay could turn into formal complaints or court fights. TVK, meanwhile, will try to nationalize the narrative: a four-month-old government winning a poll endorsement is exactly the story Vijay wants told.
The deeper test is scale. Two by-elections in seats TVK held through defectors do not prove a statewide trend. Whether Friday's momentum travels — or whether the DMK's "temporary victory" taunt proves prophetic — will only become clear in the next electoral contests. For now, Vijay gets to say his government has the voters' stamp.
Key Takeaways
- TVK won both Tamil Nadu Assembly bypolls on October 9 — Madurantakam by 17,554 votes and Dharapuram by 10,196.
- DMK finished second in both seats; AIADMK was pushed to third in both constituencies.
- The bypolls were triggered after AIADMK legislators resigned and joined TVK — voters did not punish the defections.
- Chief Minister Vijay called the win a vote against "defamatory speech aimed at women"; ministers called it an endorsement of his government.
- DMK chief Stalin dismissed the results as a "temporary victory for betrayal" and a "blatant murder of democracy," and accused Vijay of a model-code violation.
- It is the first electoral endorsement for Vijay's four-month-old TVK government — but two seats don't prove a statewide trend.
FAQs
Who won the Madurantakam bypoll in 2026?
TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel won the Madurantakam Assembly bypoll with 61,470 votes, defeating DMK's Paranthaman (43,916 votes) by a margin of 17,554 votes. Counting was completed in 21 rounds, with 27 candidates contesting and turnout at 86.26 per cent.
Who won the Dharapuram bypoll in 2026?
TVK candidate Sathyabama won the Dharapuram Assembly bypoll with 62,596 votes, defeating DMK's Sukanya (52,400 votes) by a margin of 10,196 votes. AIADMK's Bhanumathi finished third with 41,078 votes. The ST-reserved seat saw 22 candidates and 80.30 per cent turnout.
Why were the Madurantakam and Dharapuram bypolls held?
Both bypolls were necessitated after the legislators elected from Madurantakam and Dharapuram on AIADMK tickets resigned from the Assembly and joined the TVK. Their departure left both constituencies vacant, triggering fresh elections that were widely seen as an early test for Vijay's new government.
What is the TVK and who leads it?
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is the ruling party of Tamil Nadu, led by C. Joseph Vijay, the former film star who became Chief Minister in May 2026. The October 9 bypoll sweep is the party's first electoral victory since taking power — a significant milestone for a government only four months old.
How did the DMK react to the bypoll results?
DMK president M. K. Stalin dismissed the TVK's wins as a "temporary victory for betrayal" and described the by-elections as a "blatant murder of democracy." He also accused Chief Minister Vijay of violating the model code of conduct by announcing welfare initiatives after the by-elections were notified.
How did Vijay respond to the bypoll sweep?
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay congratulated candidates Sathyabama and Maragatham Kumaravel on their "victory." Targeting the opposition DMK, he said the win was a vote against "defamatory speech aimed at women." His ministers framed the twin victories as voter endorsement of the TVK government's performance.
What do the bypoll results mean for Tamil Nadu politics?
The sweep gives Vijay's government fresh momentum and suggests voters accepted the AIADMK-to-TVK defections that caused the bypolls. The DMK remains the main opposition, but the AIADMK finishing third in both seats underlines its decline. Whether the momentum is statewide will only be clear in future elections.
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Sources
- Mathrubhumi English — "Tamil Nadu bypoll results 2026: TVK wins Madurantakam and Dharapuram" (09 Oct 2026, updated 5:20 pm IST): full report
- New Indian Express — "Bypoll results LIVE: BJP wins in Bengal; TVK set to win in TN" (09 Oct 2026, updated 6:11 pm IST): live coverage
- NDTV — "By-Election Results 2026 LIVE Updates" (09 Oct 2026): live updates
- Deccan Chronicle — "By-poll Win Endorsement Of CM Vijay's Leadership, Governance: Nirmal Kumar" (09 Oct 2026): report
- Daijiworld — "TVK wins Madurantakam, Dharapuram bypolls, defeats DMK in both seats" (09 Oct 2026): report
By GlobalDeskNews Staff. All election figures are from EC counting data as reported by the sources above. Attribution for reactions belongs to the outlets that reported them.