Tamil Nadu Election Polls: Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly Constituency Profiles, Candidates, Key Facts

Tamil Nadu is heading for by-elections in two Assembly constituencies, Madurantakam and Dharapuram, on October 6, 2026. Both contests are shaping up to be five-way contests between DMK, AIADMK, NTK, Left Front and the ruling TVK.

The by-elections in the two reserved Assembly constituencies were prompted by the resignations of former AIADMK MLAs Maragatham Kumaravel (Madurantakam) and P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram) on 25 May 2026, shortly before they joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on the same day. Both the women won the seats after contesting the AIADMK’s ‘two leaves’ symbol in the April 23 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

Both are reserved for Scheduled Castes and are going to polling booths for the first time. The census will take place on October 9.

Candidates in Madurantakam

DMK party deputy secretary I. Paranthamen, who earlier served as Egmore constituency MLA from 2021-26, has now been posted in Madurantakam (Chengalpattu district).

Meanwhile, the AIADMK has named former lawmaker Kanitha Sampath as its candidate, according to an announcement by party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) joined the fray and announced P. Suganthi as the Left Front candidate for the Madurantakam assembly poll.

TVK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced Maragatham Kumaravel as the TVK candidate for the Madurantakam Assembly constituency. The vacancy in Madurantakam was due to her resignation after being elected on an AIADMK ticket in the 2026 assembly elections. Meanwhile, Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) fielded Janakiraman, making it a five-cornered contest.

Madurantakam Constituency – Key Facts

Madurantakam constituency is located in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu and has a significant Scheduled Caste population. Two percent of its population are tribal, especially the Irula, a vulnerable tribal group known for their extensive knowledge of snakes. Politically, this constituency is notable for being almost equally won by both the Dravidian giants.

Located just 100 km from Chennai, Madurantakam is primarily an agrarian area where rice is the main crop, while some farmers in the Vaiyavoor area grow vegetables.

The constituency has fallen vacant twice over the years, but no by-elections have been held due to lack of time before the general election.

In September 1966, former minister B. Parameswaran, who was the grandson of Rettamalai Srinivasan and former mayor of Chennai, died. He represented Madurantakam in the third assembly (1962-67). Five months after his death, general elections were held in the state.

Candidates in Dharapuram

TVK candidate P. Sathyabama, who won the Dharapuram Assembly constituency on an AIADMK ticket in the 2026 assembly elections, resigned and joined TVK. She filed her nomination papers on September 16.

AIADMK candidate K. Bhanumathi and NTK candidate M. Karthika also filed their nominations on 16 September. The DMK candidate is S. Suganya, while several independent candidates have also entered the fray.

In addition, the Communist Party of India (CPI) announced P. Lakshmanan as the Left Front candidate for the Dharapuram assembly poll.

Dharapuram Constituency – Key Facts

Dharapuram is a reserved constituency in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu. The by-election was necessitated after P. Sathyabama, who had won the constituency on an AIADMK ticket, resigned as MLA. Scheduled castes form about a quarter of the constituency’s population, while rural voters form nearly 60%.

A view of the Amaravathy river at Dharapuram in Tiruppur district. File | Photo credit: The Hindu

The constituency receives relatively low rainfall from both the south-west and north-east monsoons, leading to over-exploitation of groundwater in several areas. The Amaravathi River, which flows through the constituency, has also been affected by pollution due to the discharge of sewage by the Dharapuram Municipality and other local bodies.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, DMK candidate and Minister of State Kayalvizhi N. Selvaraj defeated her nearest rival, BJP’s L. Murugan, by a slender margin of 1,393 votes, less than the 1,904 votes polled by NOTA.

Published – 01 Oct 2026 07:00 IST