Overview
- Panneerselvam led by 2,044 votes after six rounds, according to Election Commission data reported Monday.
- S. Prakash of Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam trailed as the nearest rival, with AIADMK’s V. T. Narayanasamy and NTK’s Kalai Arasu also in the fray.
- The three-time former chief minister quit the AIADMK, resigned as an MLA on February 27, and is now contesting on a DMK ticket.
- Bodinayakanur has long favored the AIADMK and gained prominence when J. Jayalalithaa debuted there in 1989, yet Panneerselvam won the seat in 2011, 2016, and 2021.
- Local stakes are high for farmers in this cardamom market town, where low crop prices, irrigation needs, and new entrants like TVK could shape a close result.