In the by-election, TVK has won both the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies. In this, the PMK’s stance is seen as a major reason for TVK’s victory in the Madurantakam constituency. How did PMK help TVK in Madurantakam?
In the reserved Madurantakam constituency, there is a significant number of votes from the Vanniyar community.
In the 2024 parliamentary election, the PMK had contested as part of the NDA alliance, which did not include the AIADMK. At that time, the PMK, which contested in the Kanchipuram constituency, had secured only 10% of the votes within this Madurantakam assembly constituency. So, we can take this as the PMK’s individual influence within the constituency.
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These 10% of PMK’s votes have always been capable of deciding victory and defeat. In both the 2021 and 2026 Assembly elections, when AIADMK contested in alliance with PMK, AIADMK itself won Madurantakam. So, in this by-election too, there was great anticipation over whom PMK’s support would go to.
Although reports said that AIADMK sought PMK’s support, PMK did not extend its support to AIADMK. DMK too had expected PMK’s support. But PMK took the position that it would support no one.
This stance of supporting no one has ended up favoring TVK. VCK is in TVK’s cabinet.
In the northern districts, VCK and PMK stand as opposing poles. However, while keeping VCK on its side, TVK also maintained ties with PMK. Anbumani and Sowmiya had even come in person to the Secretariat and shown closeness with the ministers. Sowmiya's father was conferred the Thagaisal Tamilar Award.
When TVK announced in the Assembly that it would conduct a caste-wise census, PMK welcomed it. In this way, TVK on one side kept PMK in the status of a friendly force. This closeness shown by both sides was one of the reasons why Vanniyar community votes shifted toward TVK in Madurantakam.
To attract Vanniyar community votes, TVK also worked somewhat strategically. During the campaign, when a report emerged that PMK was going to join TVK’s cabinet, TVK spread it aggressively through its IT wing.
Similarly, during the campaign too, in several places, Minister in charge Aadhav Arjuna said that there were 18 Vanniyar ministers in the TVK. He also repeatedly stressed that Stalin was unable to conduct the caste-wise census, and that it was Chief Minister Vijay who had announced it in the Assembly.
It is noteworthy that PMK had put forward the caste-wise census as the central issue of the 2026 election.
The PMK did not form a direct alliance with TVK, nor did it openly extend support. However, they subtly spread the message that TVK and PMK were friendly forces. That appears to have greatly helped TVK’s victory in Madurantakam.