Tamil Nadu politics saw a major, major dramatic twist in the 2026 Assembly elections. It began as a closely watched contest but turned into shocking outcome for many especially in Kolathur constituency where Chief Minister MK Stalin faced surprise defeat. The victory of VS Babu, a candidate from actor-politician Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has now become one of the biggest talking points of this election season.
Stunning upset in Kolathur: Stalin Loses to VS Babu
Kolathur, a constituency long considered a stronghold, delivered an unexpected verdict this time. Chief Minister MK Stalin had secured massive win in 2021 elections with 105,522 votes and vote share of 60.86%. Now VS Babu has defeated him in 2026.
Back in 2021, Stalin had won comfortably with margin of 70,384 votes. His nearest rival from AIADMK managed only 35,138 votes. Other candidates, including those from MNM, NTK, and smaller parties, had remained far behind in that race.
But in 2026, the equation changed completely. VS Babu, contesting on a TVK ticket, managed to defeat the sitting Chief Minister in Kolathur.
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TVK surge becomes largest party as DMK trails
Beyond Kolathur, the larger election picture also delivered a surprise wave. As of 4:15 pm on counting day, TVK had already secured 11 seats and was leading in 96 other constituencies.
On the other hand, ruling DMK managed to win 4 seats and was ahead in 67 others. With the majority mark set at 118 seats for forming the government in Tamil Nadu, both parties were still in the race, but TVK’s lead created a major political shift in momentum.
Who is VS Babu: From DMK veteran to TVK challenger
VS Babu’s victory also brought attention to his political journey. He is not a newcomer to politics. In fact, he has earlier served as a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. In the 2006 election, he represented the Purasawalkam constituency and won as a candidate of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
After years in political circles, Babu made a major shift in February 2026, when he joined Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam on 7 February. Soon after joining the party, he was nominated to contest against none other than Chief Minister MK Stalin in Kolathur.
The fact that a former DMK leader ended up defeating the DMK chief in a high-profile seat became one of the most striking ironies of the election outcome.