Actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) came within touching distance of power in Tamil Nadu, falling short of the majority mark of 118 seats by just 10 constituencies. A closer analysis of Election Commission of India data reveals how wafer-thin margins in a handful of seats proved decisive.
In at least a dozen constituencies, TVK candidates lost by margins so narrow that even a minor swing in votes could have altered the state’s political outcome. In one seat, the defeat margin was under 300 votes.
In several others, it was below 1,000, while as many as 12 constituencies saw TVK losing by less than 2,000 votes.
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Thin margins vs sweeping wins
These narrow losses are compared to TVK’s commanding victories elsewhere. The party registered landslide wins in as many as seven constituencies, with margins ranging between 60,000 and 90,000 votes. Additionally, 27 candidates secured victories with margins between 25,000 and 60,000 votes.
This difference shows a split verdict: overwhelming support in some pockets and heartbreakingly close contests in others.
Key constituencies that slipped away
Among the closest contests, Thirukkoyilur in Villupuram district stands out. Here, TVK candidate Vijay R Baranibalaji lost to S Palanisamy of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) by just 285 votes.
In contrast, the Tirupathur constituency in Sivaganga district delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the election. TVK candidate R Seenivasa Sethupathy edged past sitting minister KR Periyakaruppan by a single vote, the narrowest possible margin, showing how every vote is counted in this tightly fought election.
At the other end of the spectrum, TVK’s biggest victory came in Sholinganallur, where the party secured a massive winning margin of 96,780 votes.
Statewide heavyweights and big margins
The highest margin of victory in the state was recorded by Edappadi K Palaniswami, general secretary of AIADMK, who won the Edappadi seat in Salem district by 98,110 votes, polling 1.48 lakh votes. A TVK-backed independent candidate finished a distant second.
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TVK’s broader performance: Gains and gaps
Overall, TVK made significant inroads, defeating AIADMK candidates in 25 constituencies and wresting 51 seats from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
Nearly 40 of these victories against DMK came from northern districts, including 14 seats in Chennai, which was long considered a DMK stronghold, showing a major political shift in urban Tamil Nadu.
DMK vs AIADMK
In direct contests between the two Dravidian majors across 122 constituencies, DMK secured 18 seats with margins between 6,000 and 23,000 votes. Meanwhile, AIADMK outperformed its rival in 21 seats, winning by margins ranging from 9,000 to 41,000 votes.
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