The DMK has announced its candidates, I. Paranthamen and S. Suganya, for the upcoming by-elections in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies on October 6. These seats became vacant after AIADMK legislators defected to Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The DMK's move to field young candidates is perceived as a response to the TVK's strategy of introducing new political faces and aims to solidify the party's standing amidst shifting political dynamics in Tamil Nadu.

The DMK has announced its candidates, I. Paranthamen and S. Suganya, for the upcoming by-elections in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies on October 6. These seats became vacant after AIADMK legislators defected to Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The DMK's move to field young candidates is perceived as a response to the TVK's strategy of introducing new political faces and aims to solidify the party's standing amidst shifting political dynamics in Tamil Nadu.

The DMK has announced its candidates, I. Paranthamen and S. Suganya, for the upcoming by-elections in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies on October 6. These seats became vacant after AIADMK legislators defected to Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The DMK's move to field young candidates is perceived as a response to the TVK's strategy of introducing new political faces and aims to solidify the party's standing amidst shifting political dynamics in Tamil Nadu.

The DMK, on Wednesday, announced its candidates for the proposed bypolls in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, scheduled to be held on October 6. The party’s legal wing deputy secretary, I. Paranthamen, who once served as the MLA from the Egmore constituency, will contest from Madurantakam, while S. Suganya, an advocate and member of the DMK’s women’s wing, will contest from Dharapuram.

Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district were declared vacant after AIADMK legislators Maragatham Kumaravel and P. Sathyabama resigned to join the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) under Vijay. Both reserved constituencies are among seven seats that fell vacant within a month of the election due to defections from the AIADMK. The Election Commission announced bypolls only for these two constituencies as election petitions challenging the victories of candidates in the other seats, including Vijay’s victory in Trichy (East), are pending before the Madras High Court.

“Our leader has faith in me and has fielded me in the election. It is a great recognition. I will win the election and submit the victory to our leader,” Paranthamen told The Week. Paranthamen, who was denied a ticket by the party high command from his Egmore constituency in the recently concluded Assembly elections, has now been fielded from Madurantakam. He has recently emerged as one of the faces of the DMK in taking on the TVK. In the 2026 election, the DMK finished third in Madurantakam, behind the AIADMK and TVK. The TVK had fielded Catherine Ezhilamalai, daughter of former Union minister Dalit Ezhilamalai, who had been associated with the PMK and AIADMK.

Suganya will contest Dharapuram, where the party had earlier fielded Dr Indirani who had lost to P. Sathyabama of AIADMK, who later joined Vijay’s TVK.

This time, the DMK has chosen young candidates for both constituencies. The move comes as the TVK has set a new trend in Tamil Nadu politics by bringing in new and younger faces. While there were reportedly differing opinions within the DMK over whether to contest the October 6 elections, the 75-year-old party has become the first to announce its candidates. Sources say the DMK chose to field candidates, as staying away from the bypolls could hurt the party more in the perception battle than anything else.