Tami Nadu Assembly Election 2026 | DMK's R Gandhi Loses From Ranipet Seat As TVK Candidate Wins
Tamil Nadu Minister R Gandhi was defeated from the Ranipet constituency. The voters instead chose a TVK candidate even as the party swept the polls.
Published : May 4, 2026 at 4:01 AM IST
|Updated : May 4, 2026 at 9:08 PM IST
Ranipet: R Gandhi, the Minister of Handlooms and Textiles in the MK Stalin-led government, suffered a loss from the Ranipet seat, which is one of the key constituencies in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The seat comes under the Ranipet district. A record voter turnout was recorded in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Election, voting for which was held on April 23.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), R Gandhi of the DMK, stood in the second place after securing 85362 votes. Thahira of the TVK clinched the seat after bagging 91149 votes. She won by a margin of 5787 votes and it was a close contest.
R Gandhi is the Minister of Handlooms and Textiles in the MK Stalin-led government. VM Kartikeyan of the BJP polled 32060 votes and stood in the third place. The 2026 elections saw a triangular contest, with the entry of TVK, which is led by actor-turned-politician Vijay.
80-years-old, R Gandhi is a veteran DMK leader and has won from the Ranipet seat in the 2016 Assembly elections and the 2021 Assembly elections. While in the 2016 polls, he defeated C Elumalai of the AIADMK, in the 2021 polls, he overcame the challenge of SM Sugumar of the AIADMK.
The TVK emerged as the single largest party in Tamil Nadu in its maiden elections and could form the next government in the state.
