Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 4 : In a political development, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has lost his stronghold of Kolathur to VS Babu of the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). In a closely watched contest, Babu secured victory by a margin of 8,795 votes on Monday.
Latest data from the Election Commission of India, following the 22nd round of EVM counting, showed Babu polling 82,997 votes against Stalin's 74,202.
The TVK candidate collected his winning certificate at the Loyola College counting centre amidst celebrations from party cadres.
The loss is deeply symbolic, as since the constituency's inception in 2008, after delimitation, Kolathur has been represented exclusively by Stalin.
This defeat marks the first time the DMK leader will not represent the seat in the Assembly, signalling a major shift in Tamil Nadu's political landscape.
TVK has stunned the political realm with its spectacular debut in Tamil Nadu. It is on its way to emerge as the single largest party in the assembly.
As of 5:30 PM, the ECI's data indicate a massive surge for the newcomer party, with TVK dominating the trends by securing 14 wins and leading in 94 seats. Incumbent DMK trails in a difficult second position with 7 wins and 53 leads, while the AIADMK alliance follows with 2 wins and 43 leads. Congress has managed 1 victory with 4 leads, marking a dramatic, high-stakes fight.
The results have also shattered long-held notions about actors struggling to succeed in politics, as Vijay now joins the league of iconic actor-turned-leaders like NT Rama Rao, MG Ramachandran, and J Jayalalithaa.
His performance reinforces that his cinematic popularity has translated into a deep emotional connection with the masses, reflected clearly in the public mandate.TVK's victory could also mark a historic shift, as Tamil Nadu may witness its first government outside the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) dominance since June 1977.