Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Tamil Nadu Left enters five-way bypoll contest against Vijay
Tamil Nadu will hold by-elections in two Assembly seats on October 6.
The Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) are contesting separately.
The CPI(M) will contest Madurantakam, and the CPI will contest Dharapuram.
These parties still support Vijay’s government from outside the Cabinet.
However, they will campaign against TVK candidates in these two seats.
The Left says it is not part of any major political alliance and wants to show its own strength.
Some Left leaders worry that the plan may confuse voters because they still support the government.
The elections will also show how many votes the Left can win without relying on an alliance.
Five groups are expected to compete in each constituency.
The CPI and CPI(M) will independently contest the October 6 by-elections in Madurantakam and Dharapuram.
The CPI(M) nominated P Suganthi for Madurantakam, while the CPI named Lakshmanan for Dharapuram.
The Left continues to support C Joseph Vijay’s TVK government from outside while opposing its candidates in the bypolls.
The five-way contest includes the TVK, DMK, AIADMK-BJP alliance, Left parties, and Naam Tamilar Katchi.
The bypolls will test the Left’s independent vote strength and its ability to present its policies directly to voters.
- Who
- The CPI, CPI(M), TVK, DMK, AIADMK-BJP alliance, and Naam Tamilar Katchi are contesting; the CPI and CPI(M) continue to support Vijay’s government from outside.
- What
- The Left parties are contesting the Madurantakam and Dharapuram by-elections independently while maintaining external support for the TVK government.
- When
- The by-elections are scheduled for October 6; the Left candidates were announced on September 15.
- Where
- Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district, Tamil Nadu.
- Why
- The Left says it is outside the major alliances and wants to demonstrate its independent electoral strength, promote its policies, and increase its Assembly representation.
Contest Independently
Support TVK Candidates
Political consistency
Contest Independently
The Left says it must contest because it belongs to none of the three major political fronts, while continuing to support the government from outside.
Support TVK Candidates
A senior CPI leader argues that opposing TVK candidates while supporting the TVK government is contradictory and difficult for ordinary voters to understand.
Purpose of the bypolls
Contest Independently
Left leaders say the elections are not about changing the government and can give the parties a platform to raise people’s issues and strengthen their Assembly voice.
Support TVK Candidates
Critics describe the contest as wasteful because even a Left victory could leave the parties supporting the same TVK government.
Electoral risk
Contest Independently
The Left says an independent campaign will take its ideas directly to voters, including students and young people, and highlight its disagreements with the government.
Support TVK Candidates
Some Left leaders fear the contest could expose a very small standalone vote share, with one leader warning it might show the Left as roughly a 1% force.
- Election date
- October 6
- Constituencies
- Madurantakam (SC) and Dharapuram (SC)
- Left candidates
- P Suganthi for Madurantakam and Lakshmanan for Dharapuram
- Government position
- The CPI and CPI(M) support the TVK government from outside and are not part of its formal alliance.
- TVK candidates
- Former AIADMK legislators K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama
- Other candidates
- The DMK nominated I Paranthaman and S Suganya; the AIADMK nominated Kanitha Sampath and K Bhanumathi; Naam Tamilar Katchi nominated K Janaki Raman and M Karthika.
- Contest format
- The bypolls are expected to be five-cornered: TVK, DMK, AIADMK-BJP, Left parties, and Naam Tamilar Katchi
- Left representation
- CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam said the Left currently has four MLAs and that two more could strengthen its voice in the Assembly.
