Cumbum
Cumbum — TVK pips DMK's veteran N. Eramakrishnan by 751 votes in the Western Ghats
Cumbum has been DMK strongman N. Eramakrishnan's seat for two decades. He won it in 2006 (as MDMK), 2009 (DMK by-election, 57,373-vote margin), 2011, and 2021 (a thumping 42,413-vote margin). AIADMK's S. T. K. Jakkaiyan interrupted with a 2016 win. In 2026 TVK newcomer Jeganathmishra PLA pulled off one of the night's tightest upsets — beating Eramakrishnan by just 751 votes in this cardamom-and-grape belt seat.
Top 5 candidates
| # | Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JEGANATHMISHRA PLA | TVK | 85,394 | 41.08% |
| 2 | ERAMAKRISHNAN N | DMK | 84,643 | 40.72% |
| 3 | JAKKAIYAN S.T.K. | AIADMK | 27,307 | 13.14% |
| 4 | ANBUSELVI A | NTK | 9,599 | 4.62% |
| 5 | NOTA | NOTA | 667 | 0.32% |
Postal ballot breakdown
| # | Candidate | Party | Postal votes | EVM votes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JEGANATHMISHRA PLA | TVK | 1,054 | 84,340 | 85,394 |
| 2 | ERAMAKRISHNAN N | DMK | 1,049 | 83,594 | 84,643 |
| 3 | JAKKAIYAN S.T.K. | AIADMK | 454 | 26,853 | 27,307 |
| 4 | ANBUSELVI A | NTK | 232 | 9,367 | 9,599 |
| 5 | NOTA | NOTA | 23 | 644 | 667 |
Source: Election Commission of India · Form 20 data via results.eci.gov.in
Past results
Verified winners and runners-up across the last five elections, with the major alliance partners each side fielded.
Eramakrishnan also won the 2009 Cumbum by-election (DMK, 57,373-vote majority).
About Cumbum
Cumbum is the grape capital of Tamil Nadu — its Muscat-style Panneer Thiratchai earned a GI tag in 2022, and the valley between the Western Ghats and the Varushanad hills is a near-continuous trellis of vines, cardamom and coffee. Suruli Falls, mentioned in Kalidasa's Meghaduta, drops out of the Megamalai estates 20 km away. The Kumily road climbs into Periyar Tiger Reserve and on to Thekkady, making Cumbum the Tamil-side gateway to the Kerala border. Theni district's spice mandis, banana belts and cardamom auction houses all run through this small market town.
Cumbum & the grape valley
Cumbum is Tamil Nadu's grape capital — GI-tagged Panneer Thiratchai vines line the valley between the Ghats and the Varushanad hills. Drive to Suruli Falls (Kalidasa's Meghaduta nods to it), climb to the Megamalai cardamom estates, or take the Kumily road into Periyar Tiger Reserve and Thekkady.
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