Jaya’s seat retained, her margin bettered

Even for rivals of the AIADMK, however, the result was not a surprise.

AIADMK workers celebrate in Srirangam. (PTI)

The AIADMK retained disqualified CM J Jayalalithaa’s Srirangam constituency, winning with a massive margin of 96,517 votes that outdid even Jayalalaithaa’s 2011 margin of 41,848. AIADMK candidate S Valarmathi scored 1.51 lakh votes out of 2.21 lakh, or 68 per cent; Jayalalithaa had secured 1.05 lakh out of 1.78 lakh, or 59 per cent.

An AIADMK MP said it is yet another milestone. Even for rivals of the AIADMK, however, the result was not a surprise. Midway through counting, DMK leader M K Stalin said the overwhelming majority for the AIADMK is nothing but an outcome of the huge amount it had paid voters.

Towards the last leg of counting, BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan said the result is not a surprise but raises concerns about the future of democracy and elections in Tamil Nadu.
Soundararajan, who filed several petitions with the Election Commission against the AIADMK for alleged distribution of cash to voters, said it is unfortunate to see the victory as the seat itself had fallen vacant after the party chief was convicted of corruption.

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The BJP got only 5,015 votes while the CPM’s 1,522 was below even the 1,919 NOTA votes. Earlier in the day, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat had addressed the state party congress and said their party has an alternative to offer against the degenerate politics of the two Dravidian parties.

In Jayalalithaa’s absence, the entire AIADMK machinery had been deployed on the campaign. The BJP had brought in national leaders including Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan as well as the entire state leadership. The Congress did not field a candidate.

Arun Janardhanan

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More

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