Thirumangalam assembly polls 2026: DMK’s Manimaran M defeats AIADMK and TVK rivals

Thirumangalam in Madurai district, a politically significant constituency long considered an AIADMK stronghold, saw a shift in the 2026 Assembly elections. DMK candidate Manimaran M emerged victorious, while AIADMK’s Udhayakumar R B finished second and TVK’s Sathishkumar N secured third place in the contest.In the 2021 Assembly elections, AIADMK’s RB Udhayakumar won with 1,00,338 votes, defeating DMK’s M. Manimaran by a margin of 14,087 votes. In the 2016 Assembly elections, R. B. Udhayakumar again secured victory with 95,864 votes, defeating INC’s R Jeyaram by 23,590 votes. Earlier, in the 2011 Assembly elections, AIADMK’s M. Muthuramalingam won with 1,01,292 votes, defeating DMK’s M. Manimaran. Historically, since the 1977 elections, the AIADMK has dominated the constituency with six victories, while the DMK has won twice. The 234-seat Assembly election in Tamil Nadu will see the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by Chief Minister M K Stalin, take on the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and a resurgent BJP-led alliance. The campaign is centred around issues such as welfare schemes, law and order, and the broader debate between Dravidian political identity and national integration narratives. While the DMK government is highlighting its record on industrial growth and social justice, the opposition has targeted it over allegations of corruption and concerns about power shortages.