In one of the biggest political surprises of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, actor-politician Vijay led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has delivered a major upset by defeating Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Kolathur.
TVK candidate VS Babu won the seat by over 9,000 votes after a closely watched counting process, marking a symbolic and high-impact loss for the DMK leader in his own stronghold.
TVK Emerges as Single Largest Party
As of mid-afternoon trends, TVK had won 11 seats and was leading in 96 more, placing it ahead of both the DMK and AIADMK in overall numbers.
The ruling DMK had won 4 seats and was leading in 67, while the AIADMK was trailing further behind. The majority mark in the 234-seat assembly stands at 118.
If current trends hold, TVK is positioned to emerge as the single largest party in its first-ever state election.
Strong Urban and Youth Push
TVK’s performance is being driven by strong support from younger voters and a sharp urban showing, especially in Chennai and other city constituencies.
Early data shows the party leading in 31 of 37 Chennai seats and 49 of 65 urban constituencies, largely cutting into DMK’s traditional base.
From Confidence to Coalition Reality
Initially, TVK leaders expressed confidence in forming a government independently, citing what they described as a “silent wave” of support for change in Tamil Nadu politics.
However, as counting progressed, it became clear that the party may fall short of the majority mark, shifting attention toward post-poll alliances.
A Giantkiller in Kolathur
The spotlight remained on VS Babu, a veteran political figure and current TVK leader, who defeated Stalin in Kolathur.
Babu, previously associated with both DMK and AIADMK, has had a long political career, including serving as MLA and holding key organisational roles in Chennai politics before joining TVK.
Setback for Established Parties
The election results indicate a major setback for both DMK and AIADMK. Several senior ministers from the ruling DMK were trailing in their constituencies, reflecting a broader shift in voter sentiment.
A New Political Equation in Tamil Nadu
With TVK crossing the 100-seat mark in combined leads and wins, the 2026 election is shaping into one of the most disruptive in Tamil Nadu’s political history.
Whether Vijay’s party can convert this momentum into a majority remains uncertain, but the results already signal a break from the state’s long-standing two-party dominance.
