MK Stalin Suffers Setback As Madras HC Dismisses Plea Challenging TVK’s Win In His Stronghold Kolathur

A bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan ruled the plea not maintainable after Stalin sought to nullify the result over alleged VVPAT slip mismatches.

What Did The Plea Say?

According to ANI report, alleging irregularities in the voting process, Stalin had sought to declare him elected in his petition. He claimed that verification of 14 EVMs and VVPAT machines revealed discrepancies. He also sought re-verification of all voting machines used in the constituency. Furthermore, the plea requested the court to declare VS Babu’s election void and officially pronounce Stalin as the winner of the seat.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections

In Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026, Stalin had lost his stronghold of Kolathur to VS Babu of the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Babu had secured victory by a margin of 8,795 votes. Stalin, a three-time MLA from Kolathur could not manage to secure the seat for the fourth consecutive time.

Following his election victory, VS Babu had attributed his success to the political influence of party chief Vijay and his own deep-rooted local connection to the constituency. Speaking to ANI, Babu emphasised that the election outcome reflected a strong anti-incumbency sentiment and a widespread public desire for change in Tamil Nadu. He asserted that his local upbringing allowed him to understand the pulse of the residents, contrasting his ground-level connection with Stalin’s alleged lack of local engagement.

“I have won only with our leader. Our leader’s face is the face of Tamil Nadu. People wanted a change, and they have changed this. I was born and brought up in that area. We know the pulse of people. It’s we who made him (MK Stalin) enter Kolathur. He doesn’t know anyone in Kolathur. Whether he is CM or MLA, he should mingle with the local people first. People are watching it,” VS Babu said.