Double Shock for MK Stalin: Loses Both State and His Own Seat in Tamil Nadu Election 2026

Chennai: In a major setback to the DMK, incumbent Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin lost his election from Kolathur Assembly seat against Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK's) VS Babu, by a margin of 8,795 votes. Babu received a total of 82,997 votes while Stalin bagged 74,202. It is the first time since 1996 that Stalin lost his election. Before this, he lost only in 1984 and 1991.Babu had won from Purasawalkam Assembly constituency, Chennai, in 2006 on a DMK ticket. He joined Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam on February 7, 2026, and was later fielded from Kolathur to take on Stalin.Although the DMK members expected Stalin to win hands down owing to the Dravidian major's welfare initiatives, Babu sprang a surprise in trouncing the chief minister,

who had won three consecutive times from Chennai's Kolathur constituency since 2011.Babu won by a margin of 8,795 votes at the end of 22 rounds of counting. He polled 82,997 votes. While Stain garnered 74,202 votes, AIADMK's P Santhana Krishnan got 18,430 votes.Stalin has been representing this constituency since its formation in 2011 following the delimitation of constituencies. The Kolathur seat is one of the six state legislative assembly constituencies of Chennai North Lok Sabha constituency. It lies between Perambur, Villivakkam, and Madhavaram.The constituency has transformed into a residential hub with increasing apartment complexes. The politics in Kolathur now revolves around issues, including management, and overall quality of life. Tamil Nadu Election Result 2026 Live Updates

Live Updates From Kolathur Constituency:

8:00 AM: The counting of votes has begun.8:30 AM: MK Staling is leading in Kolathur seat.9:30 AM: Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin is trailing in Kolathur. TVK's VS Babu is leading with 4,130 votes.10: 50 AM: Stalin reduces lead. As per the leatest trends, VS Babu is ahead with the margin of over 2,500 votes.11:50 AM: After seven rounds of counting, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin is still trailing with a margin of over 5,000 votes. TVK's VS Babu is ahead from the assembly seat with 29,425 votes.12:50 PM: Incumbent CM continues to trail against VS Babu.1:50 PM: Counting advances further but Stalin 8:50 PM: MK Stalin loses Kolathur election against TVK's VS Babu by a margin of over 8,000 votes.Key Issues In Kolathur:Monsoon flooding is among the key issues faced by the residents of the Kolathur constituency. Apart from this, lack of waste management and lack of open spaces are other issues raised by residents. Previous Election Results:Stlin has won this seat thrice since its formation in 2011 after delimitation. In 2011, the incumbent CM defeated his closest rival, AIADMK's Saidai Duraisamy, with a narrow margin of under 3,000 votes. In 2016, Stalin managed to bag this seat comfortably with a margin of over 37,000 votes. If we talk about 2021, Stalin continued his winning streak, and this time the margin of votes was more than 80,000.Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026:The polling for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections was held in a single phase on April 23. Traditionally, the main competition had also always been between the ruling DMK and the main opposition party, AIADMK. However, the entry of "Thalapathy" Vijay's TVK changed the political landscape of Tamil Nadu. All the exit polls pointed towards a three-way contest, as the actor-turned-politician's party may become a kingmaker. However, one of the exit polls predicted 98-128 for the TVK.