Uthangarai election results 2026: TVK opens account in Uthangarai as as AIADMK finishes close second

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) candidate N Elaiyaraaja secured victory with 70,201 votes, winning by a margin of 5,198 votes. He defeated AIADMK’s T M Tamilselvam, who polled 65,003 votes. ICongress candidate R Kuppusamy finished third with 60,993 votes, trailing by 9,208 votes from the winner.The Uthangarai constituency witnessed a significant defensive play in the 2026 Assembly elections, as the AIADMK re-nominated the incumbent T. M. Tamilselvam, who sought to maintain the party’s historical grip on this reserved seat. He faced a vigorous challenge from the INC candidate, R. Kuppusamy (DMK-led alliance), while the entry of N. Elaiyaraja representing the TVK and N. Bakkiyalakshmi of the NTK introduced a fresh multi-cornered dynamic. The campaign centred heavily on the region's agricultural distress and the long-standing demand for a SIPCOT industrial park to curb youth migration.In the 2021 Assembly elections, AIADMK’s T. M. Tamilselvam won the seat by securing 99,675 votes. He defeated Indian National Congress candidate J. S. Arumugam, who secured 71,288 votes. The margin of victory stood at 28,387 votes. Earlier, in the 2016 Assembly elections, Uthangarai had a total of 2,18,671 electors, of which 1,80,616 valid votes were polled. AIADMK’s N. Manoranjitham won the seat with 69,980 votes, defeating DMK’s S. Malathy, who secured 67,367 votes. The margin of victory was 2,613 votes.The voter turnout this year reached 86.03%, a significant rise from the 78.36% recorded in 2021, reflecting intense mobilisation in this reserved segment.Uthangarai (Constituency No. 51), a reserved segment in the Krishnagiri district, is a predominantly agrarian region that serves as a gateway between the northern and western belts of Tamil Nadu. Known for its extensive cultivation of mangoes and oilseeds, it is a key agricultural hub. A large rural electorate, primarily comprising farmers and landless laborers, makes this seat a critical indicator for the impact of social welfare schemes and rural development initiatives in the state’s interior.