Madurai and Dharmapuri By‑Elections: Vote Counting Begins, TVK Gains Edge
Chennai, October 9 – The counting of votes in the Madurai West and Dharmapuri assembly by‑elections got underway early Friday. At 8 a.m., officials started with the postal ballot count, giving the ruling Tamil Nadu Forward Bloc (TVK) an initial advantage over the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
The strong‑room counting centre was opened in the presence of district election officers, collectors, returning officers, poll observers and each candidate’s agents. Madurai West has set up 14 tables for EVM counting across 21 rounds, while two tables handle the postal ballots. A separate verification of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips will be carried out to ensure transparency.
Both constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Castes. Madurai West is part of Chengalpattu district and falls under the Kancheepuram parliamentary seat; Dharmapuri is situated in the western part of Tiruppur district.
These by‑elections were necessitated by the resignations of former MLAs Maragatham Kumaravel and P. Satheebha. Both had secured victories earlier this year on an IDK ticket before joining TVK. Kumaravel’s previous margin in Madurai West was 7,194 votes; Satheebha defeated his nearest DMK rival in Dharmapuri by 16,727 votes. Their switches have turned the two seats into a focal point for assessing party loyalty and voter sentiment.
TVK has fielded the two ex‑IDK legislators, while AIADMK has nominated Kanitha Sampath for Madurai West and Bhanumathi for Dharmapuri to retain a foothold. The polling, conducted on October 6 after an intensive campaign, is viewed as an early test for Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s government.
A win for TVK would reinforce the ruling coalition’s position in the 234‑member assembly, where it fell short of the 118‑seat majority needed for a comfortable mandate after the recent state elections. The results will also provide DMK and AIADMK an opportunity to showcase their anti‑incumbent strength.
The definitive outcome will emerge only after the electronic vote and VVPAT counts are concluded, as the present postal‑ballot lead does not guarantee a final verdict.