TIRUPPUR: Union Minister of State L Murugan has tasted electoral defeat again. He was defeated by the TVK candidate S Kamali in Avinashi (SC) Assembly constituency by a margin of 15,370 votes.
Earlier, he had lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election and three Assembly elections. The AIADMK had consistently won from the Avinashi constituency from 1984 to 2021, though 1996 election was an exception. Now TVK has stopped its winning streak.
On Monday, during the counting process, TVK's Kamali took the lead from the beginning. At the end of the first round, Kamali secured 3,061 votes, Murugan got 2,853 votes and DMK's V Gokilamani had 2,676 votes. Then she maintained her lead till the end. Murugan, who was in third position at the beginning of a few rounds, came to second position later.
By the final round, 27, the TVK candidate secured 84,058 votes, Murugan ended up with 68,688 votes and Gokilamani got 65,432 votes.
Traditionally, Avinashi is a stronghold of the AIADMK. This is a major reason Murugan chose the Avinashi constituency this time. As a Union Minister of State he got the support of the party brass.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, former state BJP chief K Annamalai and other VIPs campaigned for him. However, the result went against him.
Murugan lost the 2011 Assembly election from Rasipuram, a by-election from Sankarankoil in 2012 and the 2021 Assembly election from Dharapuram constituency. In 2024 he lost from the Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency.
Kamali, who is from Rasipuram in Namakkal, is a private school teacher. However, she secured her victory without any big campaign plans. Her leader, Vijay, visited Avinash only once, and held a road show.
The Avinashi constituency has been reserved for the Scheduled Castes since 1977.