Chidambaram
All 11 candidates
| # | Candidate | Votes · share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. Thamimun AnsariWonDMK Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 69,73935.48% |
| 2 | K. A. PandianAIADMK All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 63,99232.55% |
| 3 | NedunchezhiyanTVK Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam | 54,58427.77% |
| Below this line, candidates lost their deposit: 32,628 votes or fewer, one-sixth of the 1,95,770 votes for all candidates | ||
| 4 | Thamizh (lost deposit)NTK Naam Tamilar Katchi | 6,1693.14% |
| NOTANone of the above: not a candidate | 8160.42% | |
| 5 | M. Dhanasekaran (lost deposit)AIPTMM All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnettra Kazhagam | 3390.17% |
| 6 | D. Manimaran (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2110.11% |
| 7 | K. Thirugnanam (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1630.08% |
| 8 | R. Er Jayakkumar (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1600.08% |
| 9 | D. Venkatesan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1570.08% |
| 10 | T. Easan Natarajan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1300.07% |
| 11 | K. Munisankar (lost deposit)APTADM Anna Puratchi Thalaivar Amma Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 1260.06% |
Chidambaram 2026: DMK's Thamimun Ansari ends AIADMK's two-term hold
DMK's M. Thamimun Ansari won Chidambaram with 69,739 votes, ahead of AIADMK's K. A. Pandian on 63,992. The result breaks Pandian's two-term run; he had won by 1,506 votes in 2016 and 16,937 in 2021.
Where Chidambaram was won
| Led by | Booths of 298 | Villages of 74 |
|---|---|---|
| M. Thamimun Ansari DMK | 123 | 30 |
| K. A. Pandian AIADMK | 107 | 38 |
| Others | 68 | 6 |
| Closest village | Kovilampoondi: DMK ahead by 11 | |
M. Thamimun Ansari’s biggest leads
- Parangipettai+4,41128 booths
- Pinnathur+8913 booths
- Pallipadi+8187 booths
K. A. Pandian’s best villages
- C.Mutlur+1,3834 booths
- Pichavaram+6464 booths
- Kothattai+6135 booths
Counted from Form 20, booth by booth (vote leads are in votes cast at the booth; postal ballots are counted for the whole seat only).
Every village and booth
The constituency
- Reservation
- General seat (not reserved)
- Lok Sabha seat
- Chidambaram (SC)
- Electors, 2026
- 2,31,236women 1,17,645 (50.9%) · men 1,13,561 (49.1%) · third gender 30
Sources · electoral roll, reservation: ECI · Lok Sabha seat: 2008 delimitation order
Postal ballot breakdown
3,185 postal ballots · from polling staff, election-duty officers, absentee voters · counted before EVM rounds
| # | Candidate | Party | Postal votes | EVM votes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. Thamimun Ansari | DMK | 1,173 | 68,566 | 69,739 |
| 2 | K. A. Pandian | AIADMK | 1,166 | 62,826 | 63,992 |
| 3 | Nedunchezhiyan | TVK | 639 | 53,945 | 54,584 |
| 4 | Thamizh | NTK | 155 | 6,014 | 6,169 |
| 5 | Nota | NOTA | 39 | 777 | 816 |
Source: Election Commission of India · Form 20 data via results.eci.gov.in
How this seat compares
| Measure | This seat | Rank | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winning margin, votes | 5,747 | 168th | 11,416 |
| Winner’s share | 35.5% | 164th | 37.4% |
| Turnout | 85.0% | 146th | 86.9% |
| Votes cast | 1,96,586 | 147th | 2,08,471 |
| Candidates | 11 | =201st | 15 |
| NOTA votes | 816 | 107th | 784 |
| Since 2021 | DMK took the seat from AIADMK. In 2021 K. A. Pandian won it by 16,937 votes. | ||
Winners and runners-up, 2006–2026
2011, 2016 and 2021 rows: checked against the ECI detailed results. Earlier rows: secondary sources. Two-part pill: alliance leader first, then the candidate's party.
About Chidambaram
Chidambaram is the temple-town seat of Cuddalore district, centred on the 12th-century Thillai Nataraja temple, one of the five Pancha Bhoota Sthalas of Shiva. The AC covers Chidambaram, Bhuvanagiri and parts of the coastal Killai-Pichavaram belt. Around 196,586 voters polled in 2026.
The seat has changed hands often: CPI(M)'s K. Balakrishnan won here in 2011 by 2,879 votes, AIADMK's Pandian flipped it in 2016 by just 1,506, expanded the margin in 2021, and lost in 2026 to the DMK's Thamimun Ansari.
Nataraja temple and Pichavaram
The Thillai Nataraja temple's golden roof and the Chit Sabha shrine are the obvious headline. Pair it with the Pichavaram mangrove boat ride at Killai, the Vaitheeswaran Koil shrine, and the Annamalai University campus, which gives the town its student-pulse character.
Plan your trip on TN Explorer →Quick answers
Who won Chidambaram in the 2026 Tamil Nadu election?
M. Thamimun Ansari of DMK won Chidambaram (AC 158) in the April 2026 Assembly election with 69,739 votes, 35.48% of the votes polled, ahead of K. A. Pandian of AIADMK by 5,747 votes.
Who is the MLA of Chidambaram?
M. Thamimun Ansari of DMK was elected MLA for Chidambaram in April 2026 and sits in the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly.
What was the turnout in Chidambaram in 2026?
Turnout was 85.0%: 1,96,586 of 2,31,236 electors voted.
Which district is Chidambaram in?
Chidambaram (constituency number 158) is in Cuddalore district, part of the Chidambaram (SC) Lok Sabha seat.
Who won Chidambaram before 2026?
In 2021 K. A. Pandian of AIADMK won by 16,937 votes over S. Abdul Rahman. In 2016 K. A. Pandian of AIADMK won by 1,506 votes over K. R. Senthilkumar.
Sources: Form 20, booth-wise result (PDF)ECI result, AC 158
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