Campaigning for byelection ends in Madurantakam and Dharapuram
The high-decibel campaign for the October 6 byelections in the Scheduled Caste-reserved Assembly segments of Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district concluded on Sunday evening, with leaders and cadres from rival alliances making a final push to woo voters.
Vacancies and candidates
The two seats were declared vacant following the May 25 resignations of Maragatham Kumaravel (Madurantakam) and P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram), who had both been elected on AIADMK tickets less than three weeks earlier. After quitting the party, they joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and are now contesting the byelections on behalf of TVK.
A five-cornered contest
Unlike several recent byelections in Tamil Nadu, the contests in Madurantakam and Dharapuram are five-cornered. The TVK-led Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are all in the fray. In addition, the Left front is contesting separately, and the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) is fighting on its own.
Final day of canvassing
On the last day of campaigning, TVK president and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay led a roadshow through Dharapuram to canvass support for P. Sathyabama. In Madurantakam, Minister Aadhav Arjuna and other senior TVK leaders campaigned for Maragatham Kumaravel.
DMK president M.K. Stalin and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami released video messages urging voters to back their respective candidates. Leaders of the Left parties and the NTK also wrapped up their campaigns on Sunday.
TVK’s ground game and leadership push
The ruling TVK deployed almost all Ministers as election in-charges in the two constituencies to supervise the campaign and organisation on the ground. While Vijay ran a relatively limited campaign during the Assembly election earlier this year, he mounted an extensive effort for these byelections, addressing a public meeting in each constituency and leading multi-kilometre roadshows.
Alliance arithmetic reshaped
The composition of alliances has shifted significantly since the Assembly elections. The Congress, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)—all of which were previously with the DMK-led alliance—are now aligned with the TVK-led front. The Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar), earlier part of the NDA, is now extending support to TVK.
The AIADMK has accused TVK of engineering the defections of its MLAs. Both Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran campaigned extensively in the two constituencies on behalf of their candidates and allies.
PMK sits out; DMK intensifies outreach
The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), a key NDA constituent with notable influence in northern and western Tamil Nadu, has decided not to extend support to any alliance in these byelections.
The DMK ran an extensive campaign across both segments, with former Ministers stationed in the constituencies to oversee coordination. M.K. Stalin and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin held multiple campaign events in Madurantakam and Dharapuram.
Polling and counting schedule
A total of 27 candidates are contesting in Madurantakam, while 22 candidates are in the fray in Dharapuram. Polling will be held on October 6 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Counting of votes is scheduled for October 9, when results will be declared.
How parties fared here in the 2026 Assembly elections
Madurantakam (SC):
- Electors: 2,12,666
- Votes polled: 1,98,251
- Voter turnout: 93.22%
- AIADMK+: 69,284 (34.95%)
- DMK+: 59,838 (30.18%)
- TVK: 62,090 (31.32%)
- NTK: 4,950 (2.5%)
Dharapuram (SC):
- Electors: 2,22,434
- Votes polled: 1,99,944
- Voter turnout: 89.89%
- AIADMK+: 81,100 (40.56%)
- DMK+: 64,373 (32.2%)
- TVK: 46,438 (23.23%)
- NTK: 6,026 (3.01%)
What to watch
With alliance configurations markedly different from the Assembly elections and two recent defectors seeking fresh mandates under the ruling party’s banner, the twin contests are expected to be closely watched. The vote on October 6 will indicate how the new alignments and intensified leadership-level campaigning resonate with voters in these SC-reserved segments, ahead of the results on October 9.
