Salem (West) election results 2026: Lakshmanan S of TVK secures over 1 lakh votes to beat PMK candidate Karthe M

In 2026 assembly elections Lakshmanan S of TVK gained 1,20,207 votes to beat Karthe M of PMK by a margin of 74,867. Karthe M stood second in the race, securing 45,540 votes. Salem (West) Assembly constituency is located in Salem district of Tamil Nadu and forms part of the Salem Lok Sabha constituency. The seat represents a largely urban segment of the Salem region and has traditionally witnessed direct contests between the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), reflecting the broader political rivalry between the two Dravidian parties in the state.In the 2016 Assembly elections, the constituency had 2,71,212 electors, with 2,02,478 valid votes polled. AIADMK candidate Venkatachalam G secured victory with 80,755 votes, defeating DMK candidate Panneer Selvam C, who received 73,508 votes. The margin of victory stood at 7,247 votes, indicating a relatively close contest between the two major parties.Earlier, in the 2011 Assembly elections, Salem (West) had 2,12,454 electors, with 1,69,785 valid votes recorded. AIADMK’s Venkatachalam G won the seat with 95,935 votes, defeating DMK candidate Rajendran R, who secured 68,274 votes. The victory margin of 27,661 votes reflected a decisive mandate for the AIADMK during that election cycle.The results across these two elections suggest a period of AIADMK dominance in the constituency, although the narrower margin in 2016 indicates that Salem (West) remains politically competitive, with outcomes often shaped by broader state-level political trends.