DMK Ministers Who Lost: The mood inside the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) camp has changed sharply. What was once a confident ruling party now finds itself pushed to the Opposition benches after a tough Assembly election in Tamil Nadu. The numbers tell a clear story. Out of 164 seats it contested, the DMK managed to win only around 59.
At the centre of it all is Chief Minister MK Stalin, whose loss symbolised a larger wave sweeping across the state.
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A three-way fight that changed everything
This election was not a simple contest. It turned into fierce three-cornered battle between DMK, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Entry and rise of TVK reshaped political ground. Votes that once followed predictable patterns got split. Traditional strongholds became uncertain. The ruling DMK struggled to hold its base as voters appeared to be looking for change.
What made the result more striking was the widespread anti-incumbency sentiment. It wasn’t just the party that lost ground. Some of its most senior faces faced defeat.
Big ministers, bigger defeats
The list of losing ministers reads like a roll call of the DMK’s top leadership.
Health Minister M. Subramanian lost Saidapet by nearly 28,500 votes. School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was defeated in Tiruverumbur. In Mannargudi, T.R.B. Rajaa couldn’t hold his seat, while Moorthy lost Madurai East by over 16,500 votes.
Finance Minister P.T.R. Palanivel Thiagarajan faced a surprising defeat in Madurai Central, where a TVK candidate emerged stronger in a multi-cornered fight.
Senior leaders were not spared either. K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran lost in Aruppukkottai, and Thangam Thennarasu also suffered defeat. Veteran Durai Murugan lost Katpadi by more than 7,600 votes, and Muthusamy went down in Erode West by over 22,000 votes.
More setbacks followed across constituencies—Nassar in Avadi, Mathivendhan in Rasipuram, R. Rajendran in Salem North, Gandhi in Ranipet, and Saminathan in Kangeyam all lost their seats. In Alandur, T.M. Anbarasan was defeated by a margin of over 25,000 votes.
One result stood out for its sheer drama. In Tiruppattur, Minister Periyakaruppan lost by just a single vote.
A few faces hold the fort
Amid the wave of losses, a handful of DMK leaders managed to stay afloat.
Udhayanidhi Stalin won from Chepauk with a margin of over 7,300 votes. Minister Sekarbabu held on in Harbour. K.N. Nehru retained Tiruchirappalli West, and I. Periyasamy secured a strong victory in Athoor.
Chakrapani won comfortably in Oddanchatram, while E.V. Velu managed a narrow win in Tiruvannamalai.
Other leaders who kept their seats include M.R.K. Panneerselvam, Meyyanathan, C.V. Ganesan, K. Chezhiyan, Anita Radhakrishnan in Tiruchendur, and ministers like Raghupathi, Sivashankar, Rajakannappan in their constituencies.