Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 9 : Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday celebrated the party's clean sweep in the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly by-elections. 
Framing the results as a historic rejection of money-power politics, Vijay in a post on X asserted that the voters have delivered a resounding verdict in favour of principled democracy, political civility, and individual dignity.
"The by-election results for Maduranthakam and Dharapuram have been announced. The top position reflecting the primary strength that the people hold in their hearts for our Tamil Nadu Victory League, and the deep subconscious desire of our own people for our conscientious democracy, have once again been proven," he wrote on X.
Vijay emphasised that the campaign succeeded without financial inducement or coercive tactics, dismantling transactional politics often associated with previous high-profile by-elections (referencing the infamous Thirumangalam and Erode East formulas).
"This is an election won without spending a single paisa on votes, without confining anyone to a list and humiliating them, without any formula like the Thirumangalam or Erode East formula—relying solely on the formula of love, affection, and relationships, and the formula of safeguarding democracy. Tamil Nadu is not a fortress of corrupt forces. On the contrary, it has proven itself to be a fortress of the great people's power, a fortress of the loving, pure power that has earned an indelible place in the people's hearts. In the history of Tamil Nadu by-elections, this is a victory that has shattered and crushed the formula of money power like never before," added the Tamil Nadu CM.
The by-elections, held in reserved Scheduled Caste constituencies, were a major political test for TVK. The seats became vacant after former AIADMK legislators Maragatham Kumaravel (Maduranthakam) and P Sathyabhama (Dharapuram) resigned to join Vijay’s TVK. Both re-contested under TVK's whistle symbol and retained their seats with significant margins over opposition candidates from the DMK and AIADMK.
"The people have fittingly delivered a resounding slap to all the beastly rhetoric that spread false rumors of cash-for-votes everywhere. The people have cast those who spoke such words far aside and loaded their hearts once more with the burden of defeat," said Vijay.
Characterising the election as a victory against misogyny and character assassination, the Chief Minister declared that the mandate directly repudiated defamatory rhetoric directed against women and vulgar personal smears during the campaign.
"In this by-election, we extend our congratulations to our candidates who contested under the victory symbol of the whistle and emerged victorious: Sister Mrs. Maragatham Kumaravel (Maduranthakam constituency) and Sister Mrs. Sathyabhama (Dharapuram constituency). I say it even now. This victory is neither a personal triumph for this Vijay, nor for the Tamil Nadu Victory League alone. This is a victory entirely against the defamatory speech targeting women. A victory against the personal attacks conducted in the most vulgar manner. A victory against the betrayal inflicted on those spotless leaders and their workers," said Vijay.
Answering critics who scoffed at TVK's brief two-day campaign tour in the two constituencies, Vijay noted that the electorate gave a fitting retort to those who mocked their efforts or peddled false rumours. 
"It is to those who mocked and ridiculed our two days of campaigning in both constituencies that the people have now delivered their retort. Similarly, let the people themselves tell us what would have happened if the evil force DMK of that time had allowed us to campaign across all of Tamil Nadu during last April's state assembly general elections. As for us, we will always stand with the people. We will remain inseparably one with the people, as the people themselves. That is not just our duty. It is our debt of gratitude to the people. It is a hundred percent certain that we will always work tirelessly with full dedication and loyalty for the people of our Tamil Nadu. At this moment, as a member of your family, as a relative, I am filled with joy in expressing my thanks to all our own people who voted in the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram constituencies and made this victory possible. My heart swells with emotion," added Vijay.
Vijay extended structured thanks across the political alliance and party cadre. "We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the esteemed leaders of the Congress, VCK, MMK, and Indian Union Muslim League parties that are part of the secular social justice victory alliance that toiled for victory in both constituencies; to the honorable ministers; and to the state, district, and all-level functionaries from the alliance parties. Furthermore, as always, we convey our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to our honorable ministers who performed exceptionally in the field work, and to our comrades who are the state, district, and all-level TVK functionaries," said Vijay.
"I say it even now. This victory is neither a personal triumph for this Vijay, nor for the Tamil Nadu Victory League alone. This is a victory entirely against the defamatory speech targeting women. A victory against the personal attacks conducted in the most vulgar manner. A victory against the betrayal inflicted on those spotless leaders and their workers. In sum, a victory for political civility. A victory for individual dignity. Above all, a victory for the people. A victory for the voters. This will continue. It will persist until resolution. And to the victories yet to come, repeated again and again, our thanks in advance. Good things will happen. Victory is certain," he added.
https://x.com/TVKVijayHQ/status/2108523864154345623
With these twin victories, the ruling TVK has consolidated its strength in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly to 110 seats, narrowing the gap to the 118-seat simple majority. The dual victories boosted TVK's strength in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly to 110 seats, narrowing the gap to the 118-seat simple majority.