The Vikravandi Assembly constituency, where a byelection is slated for July 10, has been a “level-playing field” for the fronts, led by the DMK and the AIADMK.
Vikravandi, which came into being during the 2008 delimitation and forms part of the Villupuram Lok Sabha constituency, generally returns the winner with a victory margin ranging from 8,000 to 10,000 votes. In the last eight elections (four Lok Sabha elections, three Assembly election, and one byelection), the average margin of victory was 15,400 votes.
The highest margin of 46,924 votes was recorded in October 2019 when the constituency faced a byelection and the AIADMK won, defeating the DMK. A local functionary of the ruling party expresses the hope that his party will not only retain the seat but will also win with a bigger margin than what the AIADMK achieved about four-and-a-half years ago.
In the Assembly election, the lowest was 6,912 votes, though the AIADMK, during the 2009 Lok Sabha poll, had a lower margin of difference with 5,061 votes over the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK). Even this time in the Lok Sabha election, the VCK, which contested successfully in Villupuram, polled about 6,800 votes more in the Vikravandi Assembly segment than what the AIADMK did. While the DMK represented the constituency twice (2016 and 2021), the CPI(M) and the AIADMK bagged the seat in 2011 and 2019.
The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which has a considerable base in the region, polled 41,430 votes in the 2016 Assembly election when it contested independently. Three years later, when it was part of the AIADMK-led front, its nominee did not secure the combined strength of the PMK and the AIADMK which was registered in 2016 — 98,271. On the contrary, the PMK got 74,819 votes, about 23,450 votes less than the aggregate figure. In the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, its candidate secured about 33,000 votes, as part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Vikravandi fell vacant after the death of N. Pugazhenthi of the DMK in April. With the DMK naming its candidate and the PMK entering the fray, the AIADMK is expected to announce its nominee on Saturday. The Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) has also announced its candidate.
