TVK fields two former AIADMK MLAs in October 6 bypolls

Chennai, Sep 10
The ruling TVK in Tamil Nadu on Thursday announced former AIADMK legislators K. Maragatham Kumaravel and P. Sathyabama as its candidates for the October 6 Assembly by-elections in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, respectively.

The nominations confirm that both leaders will seek to return to the Assembly from the constituencies they represented before resigning on May 25 and switching allegiance to the TVK.

Their departure from the AIADMK and resignation as legislators created the two vacancies. Madurantakam and Dharapuram are reserved constituencies. The Election Commission has scheduled polling for October 6, while votes will be counted on October 9.

Maragatham Kumaravel, a former Madurantakam MLA, is now the deputy general secretary of the TVK.

Sathyabama, who previously represented Dharapuram, serves as the TVK's Tiruppur South-East district secretary.

Their selection was widely anticipated after party sources indicated, soon after their induction, that they would be offered another opportunity to contest.

TVK president and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay urged party office-bearers and cadres to work together to ensure a decisive victory for both candidates. He said Maragatham Kumaravel and Sathyabama would enter the contest as nominees of the Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance.

The announcement sets the stage for closely watched contests involving the state’s principal political formations.

The DMK has named I. Paranthaman for Madurantakam and S. Suganya for Dharapuram.

The AIADMK, meanwhile, is preparing to reclaim the two seats it lost following the resignations and has approached its alliance partners, including the BJP, for support.

For the TVK, the by-elections will be an important political test after forming the government. By fielding the two defectors, the party has chosen candidates with prior electoral experience, established local networks and familiarity with the constituencies.

The AIADMK is expected to portray the contests as an opportunity to regain its former strongholds, while the DMK will seek to capitalise on a multi-cornered fight.

Campaigning is likely to intensify once nominations are completed, with alliance strength, local issues and the candidates’ personal influence expected to shape the outcome.

Both constituencies will therefore draw statewide attention as parties test their organisational machinery and attempt to consolidate support among Scheduled Caste voters within them. The results will also offer an early indication of voter sentiment towards the Vijay government and the changing political alignments in Tamil Nadu.