The winners of the Madurantakam and Dharapuram by-elections were sworn in as MLAs at the Secretariat on 12 October, taking TVK to 109 seats in the Assembly.
The two winners of Tamil Nadu’s first by-elections under the TVK government took oath as members of the Legislative Assembly in Chennai on Monday, October 12, 2026. K. Maragatham Kumaravel (Madurantakam, SC) and P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram, SC) were sworn in at the Speaker’s chamber in the Secretariat in the presence of Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar (IANS / The Hans India, Oneindia Tamil).
With the two seats, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s strength in the 234-member Assembly rises from 107 sitting members to 109 — one more than the 108 seats the party won in May.
Ministers N. Anand, K. A. Sengottaiyan, Aadhav Arjuna and Dr. K. G. Arunraj were present to congratulate the new members (IANS). Both MLAs took the oath of office and the oath of secrecy.
Polling in the two reserved constituencies was held on October 6 and votes were counted on October 9. TVK won both seats — the government’s first electoral test since taking office on May 10.
| Constituency | TVK winner | Votes | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madurantakam (SC) · Chengalpattu | K. Maragatham Kumaravel | 74,048 | I. Paranthamen (DMK) — 54,008 | 20,040 |
| Dharapuram (SC) · Tiruppur | P. Sathyabama | 66,841 | S. Suganya (DMK) — 57,370 | 9,471 |
Both seats had fallen vacant after the sitting members, elected on the AIADMK ticket in May, resigned and joined TVK. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay campaigned in both constituencies, with a rally in Madurantakam on September 25 and a roadshow in Dharapuram on October 4, the last day of campaigning.
Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Sathyabama said she would make solving Dharapuram’s drinking water problem her first task (Maalai Malar). Maragatham Kumaravel said her victory came from the votes people cast for TVK leader Vijay.
The two new members will take their seats when the Assembly next meets. Five other seats — Tiruchi East, Karur, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai and Perundurai — remain vacant while the Madras High Court decides on petitions about their by-elections.
Sources: The Hans India (IANS); Oneindia Tamil; Maalai Malar.
By-election 2026 Madurantakam Dharapuram Assembly Day 155