<p>The 2026 Assembly Election in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</a> took a dramatic turn on Monday, as <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/tvk">TVK</a> swept through several bastions, with the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/aiadmk">AIADMK</a> holding its ground. </p><p>As counting progressed for the polls, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami extended his lead to 17,766 votes in his home constituency of Edappadi, sustaining his status as the party's most secure candidate.</p><p>In the northern belt, Maragatham Vetrivel continues to show strong momentum in Pappireddipatti with a widened margin of 19,692 votes, while C Vijayabaskar in Viralimalai has also seen his lead grow to 9,686 votes.</p>.Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 | Can DMK hold Northern TN stronghold against AIADMK-PMK surge?.<p>Other significant cushions for the party include Shanmugam C V in Mailam with 10,898 votes and Mukkur N Subramanian in Cheyyar, who now holds a lead of 10,760 votes.</p><p>Despite these strongholds, the party faces intense pressure in several key seats where margins remain dangerously slim.</p><p>The tightest contest is currently in Peravurani, where Govi Elango is leading by a mere 274 votes, followed closely by the volatility in Alangulam, where K R P Prabakaran holds a lead of just 425 votes.</p><p>In the high-altitude constituency of Yercaud, Usharani P sees her lead precarious at 359 votes, while Vijayasureshbabu in Viluppuram is managing a slim margin of 361 votes.</p><p>In the western region, former minister K C Karuppannan was leading by 2,365 votes, as the AIADMK continues to navigate a highly competitive three-cornered fight across the state.</p><p>(<em>with PTI inputs</em>)</p>
<p>The 2026 Assembly Election in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</a> took a dramatic turn on Monday, as <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/tvk">TVK</a> swept through several bastions, with the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/aiadmk">AIADMK</a> holding its ground. </p><p>As counting progressed for the polls, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami extended his lead to 17,766 votes in his home constituency of Edappadi, sustaining his status as the party's most secure candidate.</p><p>In the northern belt, Maragatham Vetrivel continues to show strong momentum in Pappireddipatti with a widened margin of 19,692 votes, while C Vijayabaskar in Viralimalai has also seen his lead grow to 9,686 votes.</p>.Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 | Can DMK hold Northern TN stronghold against AIADMK-PMK surge?.<p>Other significant cushions for the party include Shanmugam C V in Mailam with 10,898 votes and Mukkur N Subramanian in Cheyyar, who now holds a lead of 10,760 votes.</p><p>Despite these strongholds, the party faces intense pressure in several key seats where margins remain dangerously slim.</p><p>The tightest contest is currently in Peravurani, where Govi Elango is leading by a mere 274 votes, followed closely by the volatility in Alangulam, where K R P Prabakaran holds a lead of just 425 votes.</p><p>In the high-altitude constituency of Yercaud, Usharani P sees her lead precarious at 359 votes, while Vijayasureshbabu in Viluppuram is managing a slim margin of 361 votes.</p><p>In the western region, former minister K C Karuppannan was leading by 2,365 votes, as the AIADMK continues to navigate a highly competitive three-cornered fight across the state.</p><p>(<em>with PTI inputs</em>)</p>