Udhayanidhi stalin

Udhayanidhi Stalin retained his Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni Assembly constituency on May 4, 2026, defeating D. Selvam by 7,140 votes. This victory comes amid a significant defeat for the DMK, as his father M.K. Stalin lost his own Kolathur seat.

Udhayanidhi’s win marks his second consecutive victory in this constituency. In the previous election held in 2021, he won by a margin of 69,355 votes. However, this year’s lead was narrower, indicating a shift in voter sentiment.

The DMK’s performance suffered dramatically in these elections. Their seat share fell from 133 seats to just 6 seats as of 5 PM on election day. In contrast, the TVK emerged stronger, winning 10 seats and leading in 99 seats.

Udhayanidhi is widely seen as the political heir of Karunanidhi and M.K. Stalin. Observers expect him to assume a leadership role within the opposition if the DMK is confirmed as the main opposition party.

Udhayanidhi narrowly led by 1,048 votes by round eight of counting. The Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni seat is considered a stronghold for the DMK, having been held by Udhayanidhi’s grandfather for three terms before its unification with Triplicane in 2011.

This election outcome may reshape Tamil Nadu’s political landscape significantly. Analysts will be watching closely how Udhayanidhi navigates this new role amidst the setbacks faced by his party.