Archive · 10 Sep 2026
TVK Names Former AIADMK MLAs for Tamil Nadu Bypolls
TVK has chosen two candidates for upcoming by-elections in Tamil Nadu.
They are K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama.
Both candidates previously won these seats for AIADMK.
They resigned as legislators and later joined TVK.
The vacant seats are Madurantakam and Dharapuram, and both are reserved constituencies.
Voting is planned for October 6, with counting on October 9.
The DMK has also selected candidates for both contests.
Reports differ on AIADMK’s position: one says it has named candidates, while another says it was still deciding its strategy.
TVK has nominated former AIADMK MLAs K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram bypolls.
The reserved-constituency elections are scheduled for October 6, with vote counting on October 9.
Both candidates won the seats as AIADMK nominees in the April 23 Assembly polls before resigning and joining the ruling TVK.
The DMK has nominated I Parandaman for Madurantakam and S Suganya for Dharapuram, while AIADMK has either announced or was finalising its candidates, according to differing reports.
TVK will contest under the Secular Social Justice Victory Front or Alliance banner, which includes Congress and MDMK, according to the reports.
- Who
- Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by C Joseph Vijay; former AIADMK MLAs K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama; the DMK; and the AIADMK.
- What
- TVK announced candidates for by-elections in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies.
- When
- The bypolls are scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9; the candidate announcement was reported on September 10.
- Where
- Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district, Tamil Nadu.
- Why
- The seats became vacant after Kumaravel and Sathyabama resigned as MLAs and joined TVK; TVK says it is seeking a decisive victory.
TVK Position
Opposition Position
Candidate selection
TVK Position
TVK is renominating Kumaravel and Sathyabama to draw on their existing local support after they won the seats as AIADMK candidates and later joined TVK.
Opposition Position
The DMK is contesting both seats, and AIADMK is also entering or preparing to enter the contests, according to the reports.
Campaign argument
TVK Position
TVK says it is seeking a decisive victory, while Kumaravel said the government’s reported 100-day achievements would be taken to voters.
Opposition Position
The contests are being presented as a test of TVK’s support in seats described as AIADMK strongholds or an AIADMK fortress.
- Madurantakam candidate
- K Maragatham Kumaravel, a former AIADMK MLA and TVK deputy general secretary
- Dharapuram candidate
- P Sathyabama, a former AIADMK MLA and TVK Tiruppur south-east district secretary
- Constituencies
- Madurantakam (SC) and Dharapuram (SC), both reserved seats
- Polling date
- October 6
- Counting date
- October 9
- DMK candidates
- I Parandaman for Madurantakam and S Suganya for Dharapuram
- AIADMK position
- One report says AIADMK nominated Kanitha Sampath and K Banumathi; another says the party was still finalising its strategy and candidates
