Pappireddipatti election results 2026: AIADMK’s Maragatham Vetrivel retains seat, defeats DMK

AIADMK's Maragadham Vetrivel secured a decisive victory with 1,01,829 votes, winning by a margin of 33,114 votes. He defeated DMK candidate P Palaniappan, who polled 68,715 votes. TVK candidate S Thilagavathi finished third with 57,619 votes.The Pappireddipatti constituency witnessed a high-stakes electoral battle in the 2026 Assembly elections, with the DMK fielding veteran leader P Palaniappan to reclaim the segment. He faced a formidable challenge from the AIADMK, which nominated Maragadham Vetrivel in an attempt to retain its long-held bastion. The entry of S Thilagavathi representing the TVK and Archana Tamilaruvi of the NTK added a fresh dynamic.In the 2021 election, A Govindasamy (AIADMK) secured victory with 114,507 votes (51.81% votes share), defeating M. Prabhu Rajasekar (DMK) by a substantial margin of 36,943 votes. In 2016, the seat was won by P. Palaniappan (AIADMK) with 74,234 votes, defeating the PMK’s A. Sathiyamoorthy by 12,713 votes.Voter turnout this year reached 90.34%, making a hike for the region compared to the 83.24% recorded in 2021.Pappireddipatti (assembly constituency No. 60) is an agrarian-rich segment in the Dharmapuri district, dominated by agriculture and poultry farming. As a significant stronghold for the Dravidian majors and the PMK, the seat is a critical indicator of rural agrarian sentiment and the political influence of the Vanniyar community in the northern belt.The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections were held in a single phase on April 23, recording a high voter turnout of 85.15%, with results declared on May 4. The polls witnessed an intense three-way contest that challenged the state’s traditional bipolar political structure. The electoral battle was primarily between the DMK-led alliance, including the INC and other parties, headed by MK Stalin and the AIADMK-led alliance, headed by Edappadi K Palaniswami, along with the BJP and other parties. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), marking actor Vijay’s political debut as a third force across all 234 constituencies.