The New Indian Express ·
Politics
Veterans fight it out for victory in Madurantakam bypoll
CHENNAI: The Madurantakam (SC) bypoll is shaping up to be a battle of former legislators, with all three major contenders — TVK, AIADMK and DMK — aiming to turn their electoral experiences into an advantage in a constituency that has historically swung between the two Dravidian majors.
While S Kanitha Sampath of AIADMK pitches to retain the constituency as the party’s stronghold, her successor from the party, K Maragatham Kumaravel, who resigned as MLA and has now been fielded by the TVK, is confident of winning the seat again. Advocate I Paranthamen of DMK pitches on TVK’s failure in governance and non-implementation of its poll promises.
For the TVK, the contest is an attempt by Maragatham to retain the constituency she had won three months ago. However, this time, she is representing the ruling party, whose candidate she defeated in April 2026. Maragatham expressed confidence that she could repeat her victory, saying the government’s achievements in the first 100 days would be taken to the people. “People have confidence in thalapathy (Vijay). People have seen the governance and we are sure we will win with a huge margin,” she said.
According to TVK sources, the party leaders have been told to work hard not just to make Maragatham win, but to make the opposition lose their election deposits. A senior TVK leader told TNIE, “A mere win would make it look like the TVK government is weak. Only a massive victory will show that the party has the people’s backing.”
The AIADMK, meanwhile, is seeking to wrest back the seat from its former MLA. Kanitha Sampath, who represented Madurantakam from 2011 to 2016, said she has the advantage of having previously won the constituency. Citing the resignation of the MLA that triggered the bypoll, Kanitha said the “AIADMK would get back the victory” and that the people would take care of those who had returned the mandate to the party.
For the DMK, Paranthamen brings a unique challenge. The former Egmore MLA and joint secretary of the party’s legal wing was denied a ticket to contest from Egmore in the 2026 elections. He is expected to make the TVK government’s first 100 days the principal target of his campaign. He claimed that people are fed up with TVK’s governance and its failure to deliver on its promises. During the DMK candidate introduction meeting in Madurantakam on Friday, party organisation secretary R S Bharathi said that a DMK victory would trigger the collapse of the TVK-led government by January.
