Tamil Nadu Assembly Election results 2026 | A photo finish: DMK minister loses Tirupattur by one vote; TVK supporter who flew from Muscat goes viral

The TVK supporter wrote, 'Thipattur (Tiruppattur) constituency was won by just one vote for TVK. I’m proud that I travelled all the way from Muscat to India to cast my vote for Thalapathy.'

Underestimating the power of a single vote, some people often question what difference it would make if they didn’t cast theirs. But a real-life incident from the recent Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu answers that point all too clearly.

In the Tirupattur constituency, DMK minister KR Periyakaruppan lost his seat by just one vote. His opponent, R Seenivasa Sethupathy of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, emerged victorious in an extraordinarily tight contest.

Amid the buzz over the razor-thin margin win, a social media post by a voter who travelled from Muscat to Tiruppattur to excerise his right to vote has gone viral.

The voter, Manikandan Sivanantham, identifying himself as a TVK supporter, shared photos of himself wearing a party scarf and backing actor-turned-politician Vijay.

Posting a picture of his travel ticket online, he wrote, “Thipattur (Tiruppattur) constituency was won by just one vote for TVK. I’m proud that I travelled all the way from Muscat to India to cast my vote for Thalapathy.”

The post undoubtedly gained traction, especially as it was one-vote margin that decided the fate of the constituency.

Social media users were quick to link the Vijay supporter's vote to TVK's victory, praising his effort while reflecting on the significance of every single vote. “Every vote is important,” one user wrote, while another added, “Every vote counts.”

According to figures released by the Election Commission of India, R Seenivasa Sethupathy won with 83,375 votes, while KR Periyakaruppan received 83,374.

Polling for the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly was held in a single phase on April 23, with counting and results announced on May 4, 2026.