Archive · 21 Sep 2026
TVK Needs Major Swing to Challenge AIADMK in Dharapuram
Dharapuram is preparing for an important by-election.
TVK received fewer votes than AIADMK in the earlier Assembly elections.
Because of that, TVK needs to win many voters from other parties to succeed.
TVK hopes its position as the ruling party will attract support.
It is also supported by Congress, MDMK, VCK and IUML.
AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami says the TVK government may fall soon.
The campaign visits by major leaders could influence the result.
The election is expected to be a close contest between TVK and AIADMK.
TVK won 23.23% of votes in the 2026 Assembly elections, compared with AIADMK’s 40.56% in the Kongu region.
DMK received 32.2% in the region, where the contest was dominated by the three Dravidian parties.
TVK has not announced Joseph Vijay’s campaign schedule for Dharapuram, which he did not visit during the Assembly campaign.
TVK is relying on its status as the ruling party and support from Congress, MDMK, VCK and IUML.
AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami is arguing that the TVK government may not last, as the bypoll is expected to become a close TVK-AIADMK contest.
- Who
- TVK, AIADMK, DMK and their allies, including Joseph Vijay and Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
- What
- A Dharapuram bypoll is expected to become a close contest between TVK and AIADMK.
- When
- The bypoll is expected after the 2026 Assembly elections; no specific polling date is provided.
- Where
- Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu’s Kongu region.
- Why
- TVK needs to overcome its lower previous vote share, while AIADMK is defending its support in a region described as its bastion.
TVK’s Case
AIADMK’s Case
Ruling-party advantage
TVK’s Case
TVK says its position as the ruling party enables it to provide infrastructure and irrigation schemes to Dharapuram.
AIADMK’s Case
AIADMK argues that the TVK government may not last and is seeking to weaken the appeal of voting for the ruling party.
Vote transfer
TVK’s Case
TVK hopes to attract anti-DMK voters who previously supported AIADMK and to add the votes of its alliance partners.
AIADMK’s Case
AIADMK is relying on its stronger previous vote share in the Kongu region and believes the PMK’s decision not to support it will have little effect because the PMK’s strength in Dharapuram is negligible.
Campaign impact
TVK’s Case
A high-profile campaign by Joseph Vijay could swing votes toward TVK, according to the report.
AIADMK’s Case
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami is campaigning against TVK and portraying its government as unstable.
- TVK vote share
- 23.23% in the 2026 Assembly elections in the Kongu region
- AIADMK vote share
- 40.56% in the Kongu region
- DMK vote share
- 32.2% in the same contest
- TVK allies
- Congress, MDMK, VCK and IUML
- Campaign status
- TVK has not announced Joseph Vijay’s Dharapuram campaign schedule
- AIADMK position
- Edappadi K. Palaniswami says the TVK government could fall soon
- Expected contest
- The bypoll is expected to be closer than the Madhuranthagam bypoll