Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK founder C Joseph Vijay on Friday attributed his party's bypoll wins to the DMK's remarks against women and the AIADMK's alleged betrayal of its founding leaders, while DMK chief MK Stalin termed the outcome an "interim victory for betrayal" and said the decline of "politics built on false images" had begun.
Vijay congratulated Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) nominees Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama on their victories in the by-elections to Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies.
The Election Commission declared Sathyabama the winner in Dharapuram, where she defeated her nearest DMK rival, S Suganya, by 9,471 votes. The official declaration for Madurantakam was awaited, although Kumaravel appeared set for a decisive win.
Targeting the DMK without naming it directly, Vijay said the bypoll victory was a vote against "defamatory speech aimed at women". His remarks came against the backdrop of allegations that Stalin bodyshamed Sathyabama during the campaign.
Vijay also hit out at AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami without naming him, attributing the TVK's victory to "betrayal of blemishless leaders and their followers".
He was referring to AIADMK icons MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. During the bypoll campaign, Vijay had accused the AIADMK, under Palaniswami, of attempting to collude with its arch-rival DMK to form the government in Tamil Nadu after the April 2026 Assembly elections. He had described this as a "betrayal" of MGR and Jayalalithaa.
Reacting to the results, former CM Stalin termed the outcome an "interim victory for betrayal" and asserted that the decline of "politics built on false images" had begun.
In a social media post, the DMK chief criticised the circumstances in which the by-elections were held, saying they were "thrust upon the electorate just five months after the general assembly elections".
Stalin pointed out that two sitting MLAs had vacated their seats shortly after being elected and immediately joined the ruling TVK. He called the move a "blatant assassination of democracy".
Stalin also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to voters who supported candidates of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, as well as party cadres, alliance leaders and functionaries who campaigned across both constituencies.
(With inputs from PTI)