Stalin Loses Kolathur; Udhayanidhi Expected to Lead DMK in Assembly as Party Faces Historic Rout

Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin has been defeated in his Kolathur constituency — a seat he had held continuously since 2011 — by TVK candidate V S Babu, a former DMK leader who was once a close associate of Stalin himself. Babu, who served as DMK North Chennai District Secretary and entered the assembly in 2006, was sidelined after former AIADMK leader P K Shekhar Babu joined the party and joined TVK just before this election. The margin of defeat was over 8,000 votes.

Stalin's loss is the fourth time in Tamil Nadu's history that a sitting Chief Minister has been defeated — the others being P S Kumaraswami Raja, M Bhaktavatsalam, and Jayalalithaa.

With Stalin's defeat, his son Udhayanidhi Stalin — who won from Cheppaukku Thiruvallikaeni by 7,140 votes over TVK candidate D Selvam — is expected to lead the DMK in the assembly. In the entire Chennai region, only Udhayanidhi and Minister P K Shekhar Babu won from the DMK.

Responding to the setback, Stalin posted on social media: "I have seen great victories in public life, and I have faced defeats too. Therefore, I am one who acts with the understanding that ideals and policies are what matter most, not just victories and defeats." He also added that DMK's political journey will continue without pause, and will function as a strong opposition.