Tamil Nadu Election Hinged On Close Contests And Razor-Thin Margins

In its very first assembly election, the TVK emerged as the single-largest party, securing 108 of the 234 seats

05 May 2026, 17:17 · www.ndtv.com

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Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam won 108 of 234 seats in its first Tamil Nadu election
Five assembly seats were won with margins under 300 votes, showing tight races
Closest race was in Tiruppattur, TVK won by a single vote against DMK candidate

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New Delhi:

The Tamil Nadu assembly election delivered results that caught many observers off guard. Among the biggest surprises was the impressive showing of the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), founded in February 2024 by actor-turned-politician Vijay. While exit polls had suggested that the party could make an impact, few anticipated the scale of its success. The results reaffirmed the enduring influence of the "actor factor" in Tamil Nadu's political landscape.

In its very first assembly election, the TVK emerged as the single-largest party, securing 108 of the 234 seats and dramatically reshaping the state's political equation. The DMK, which had dominated the 2021 elections, suffered a sharp decline, finishing with 58 seats, while the AIADMK won 47 seats. The remaining constituencies were split among smaller parties and independents. This marked a decisive break from the long-standing DMK-ADMK duopoly that has defined Tamil Nadu politics for decades.

Tight Fights

Beyond the overall results, the Tamil Nadu election saw several closely fought contests. Five constituencies were decided by margins below 300 votes, pointing to tight competition in pockets of the state.

The closest result came from Tiruppattur, where TVK's Senivasa Sethupathy defeated the DMK candidate by just one vote. Other narrow wins were recorded in Veppanahalli (138 votes), Kanniyakumari (214 votes), Polur (227 votes) and Tirukkoilur (285 votes).

These results show that TVK's breakthrough was not limited to clear wins alone. The party managed to edge past rivals even in closely contested seats, reinforcing its emergence as a serious force in Tamil Nadu politics and challenging the long-standing dominance of the DMK and the AIADMK.

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