The results of the two by-elections have turned out just as Chief Minister Vijay had said at every rally: “The contest is only between two parties—one is the DMK, the other is the TVK.”
In the Madurantakam constituency, TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel has won by a margin of about 20,000 votes. In the Dharapuram constituency, TVK candidate Sathyabama has won by a margin of about 10,000 votes.
Although the opposition DMK lost in both, it has pushed the AIADMK back and secured second place.
Some senior DMK functionaries who spoke to us said, “Even when it was in the field along with Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, MDMK, IUML, and Congress, the DMK finished third in the Madurantakam constituency in 2026. Later, with all the alliance parties having shifted to the TVK camp, we thought the DMK would again finish only third in the Madurantakam constituency by-election.
Likewise, in Dharapuram, it was said that the AIADMK would have an edge there because the party structure was not strong and the area is densely populated by people from the Gounder community. We thought we would finish only in third place in both constituencies.
In Madurantakam, where the A.D.M.K. is strong, we have pushed that party back and secured second place. Even in areas densely populated by people from the Scheduled Castes and the Vanniyar community, the D.M.K. has received a significant number of votes.
"In a by-election, securing second place and a substantial number of votes without the support of any alliance partner is a reassuring result," they said.
Some political observers say that DMK supporters are taking pride in having “broken TVK’s sharp criticism that ‘without alliance parties, there is no DMK.’” But that cannot be said so easily. In the 2026 general election, DMK received 64,000 votes in Dharapuram. But now it has received only 57,000 votes.
In Madurantakam, the party that had received 60,000 votes has now received only 50,000 votes. In fact, DMK has lost even its party votes. If it had received the votes it got last time, there would also have been a chance for DMK to win. But it must be said that they have missed the opportunity.
Maragatham has won in Madurantakam by a margin of 20,000 votes. “The DMK struggled there without an alliance,” they said.
As far as Madurantakam is concerned, the absence of alliance parties is a major minus for the DMK; as for Dharapuram, getting 57,000 votes is a consolation for the DMK!