Sankarapuram election results 2026: AIADMK's Rakesh R wins against DMK's Udhayasuriyan T

AIADMK's Rakesh R emerges victorious, securing 80250 votes, against DMK's Udhayasuriyan T, by a margin of 3440 votes. The Sankarapuram constituency witnessed a high-stakes battle in the 2026 Assembly elections. The DMK re-nominated veteran incumbent T Udhayasuriyan, aiming for a third consecutive win. He faced a challenge from R Rakesh of the AIADMK, while the entry of A Jagadeesan of the TVK and Ramesh K of the NTK added significant competition by targeting the youth and agricultural labourers in the region. In the 2021 election, T Udhayasuriyan (DMK) secured a dominant victory with 121,186 votes (56.41% vote share), defeating Dr G Raja (PMK) by a margin of 45,963 votes. In the 2016 election, T Udhayasuriyan won with 90,920 votes (45.0% vote share), defeating AIADMK candidate P Mohan by 14,528 votes. Voter turnout reached 87.56%, a notable rise from the 80.01% in 2021. This increase is attributed to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, which cleansed the rolls and mobilised high participation across the district. Sankarapuram (Assembly constituency No. 79) is a general segment in Kallakurichi district. With an economy built on agriculture, it serves as a critical barometer for rural and agrarian 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.