TN election results 2026: DMK cut to just two in Chennai district

CHENNAI: The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by actor C Joseph Vijay, swept to power in the State, dealing a severe blow to the ruling DMK, particularly in its citadel Chennai, where it managed to win only two of the 16 Assembly constituencies. This marks the third time the party has been reduced to just two seats in the city since the 1991 Assembly election.

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Minister for HR&CE PK Sekar Babu were the only two DMK candidates to retain their seats amid the TVK surge. Chief Minister MK Stalin, who contested from Kolathur, was defeated.

The DMK had faced similar setbacks in the 2011 and 1991 Assembly elections, when it secured only two seats in Chennai. In 2011, then Deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin won from Kolathur, while J Anbazhagan was elected from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni.

In contrast, the party had dominated the city in the 2021 Assembly election, with the DMK-led alliance winning all 16 constituencies, improving on its 2016 performance when it secured 10 seats.

In 1991, when the DMK's overall tally in the State was reduced to just two seats, both victories came from Chennai. Then party president M Karunanidhi won from Harbour, later resigning the seat, while Parithi Ilamvazhuthi was elected from Egmore.

The DMK has historically performed strongly in Chennai since coming to power in 1967, when it won all 12 seats in the city. It secured nine seats in 1971. Unlike the 2026 polls, in 1977, when the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, founded by MG Ramachandran, won power for the first time, the DMK won 13 of the 14 seats in Chennai.

The party continued to maintain a strong presence, winning eight and nine seats in the 1980 and 1984 elections, respectively. In 1989, following the death of MG Ramachandran, the DMK swept all 14 constituencies in the city.

However, in 1991, in the aftermath of the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, the party's tally dropped to two seats. The DMK regained dominance in 1996 by winning all seats and secured 10 seats in 2001.

A shift began after the 2006 election, when the AIADMK started making inroads into what was considered the DMK's stronghold, winning seven seats, and later 14 of the 16 constituencies in 2011.