Rishivandiyam election results 2026: DMK's Karthikeyan K wins against TVK's Ashok Kumar G

DMK's Karthikeyan K emerges victorious, securing 89711 votes, against TVK's Ashok Kumar G, by a margin of 4862 votes.The Rishivandiyam constituency witnessed a competitive battle in the 2026 Assembly elections. The DMK re-nominated incumbent K Karthikeyan, seeking to maintain his stronghold after two consecutive victories. He faced P Cheziyan of the PMK, representing the AIADMK-led alliance, while G Ashok Kumar of the TVK and P Radhika of the NTK made the fray more multi-dimensional. In the 2021 election, K Karthikeyan (DMK) secured victory with 113,912 votes (53.56% vote share), defeating SA Santhosh (AIADMK) by a margin of 41,728 votes. In the 2016 election, K Karthikeyan won with 92,607 votes (47.08% vote share), defeating AIADMK candidate K Dhandapani by 20,503 votes. Voter turnout reached 88.88%, an increase from the 79.29% in 2021. This rise is largely attributed to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, which updated electoral rolls. Rishivandiyam (Assembly constituency No. 78) is a general segment in Kallakurichi district. Primarily agrarian, it is historically significant for its high-profile contests and serves as a vital barometer for political sentiment in northern Tamil Nadu. 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.