The October 6 by-election to two Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu will mark the crucial first electoral test for the three-month-old Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led TVK government.
The poll battle in the high-stakes contest in Madurantakam and Dharapuram remains to be seen if the former AIADMK legislators who resigned as MLAs shortly after the April Assembly election results were declared and joined the TVK would be given the party tickets or whether the TVK would nominate its "loyal" candidates.
The Election Commission of India has announced by-poll for Madurantakam and Dharapuram seats following the resignation of Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama, respectively. Both had joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party the day they tendered their resignation letters to Assembly Speaker J C D Prabhakar, announcing their decision to quit the AIADMK.
The state has a tradition of the ruling parties having a strong advantage in by-polls but the TVK faces a complex web of coalition friction, aggressive opposition, and critical legislative math as it enters the campaign trail.
Functioning as a post-poll coalition after falling short of a simple majority in the Assembly in May 2026, the TVK formed the government with the support of the Congress, VCK, IUML and the Left parties. The cross-voting by 22 AIADMK rebel legislators helped the Vijay government to secure a total of 144 "ayes" from the MLAs, thus successfully passing the floor test.
