Karaikudi
All 25 candidates
| # | Candidate | Votes · share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. T. K. PrabhuWonTVK Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam | 1,01,35844.21% |
| 2 | S. MangudiINC Indian National Congress | 55,28424.11% |
| Below this line, candidates lost their deposit: 38,124 votes or fewer, one-sixth of the 2,28,748 votes for all candidates | ||
| 3 | Dherpoki V. Pandi (lost deposit)AMMK Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam | 33,35214.55% |
| 4 | Seeman (lost deposit)NTK Naam Tamilar Katchi | 30,79313.43% |
| 5 | C. Newton Babu (lost deposit)PT Puthiya Tamilagam | 7960.35% |
| 6 | K. Velu (lost deposit)IND Independent | 6890.30% |
| 7 | A. Kalimuthu (lost deposit)AIPTMM All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnettra Kazhagam | 6020.26% |
| 8 | K. Karuppiah (lost deposit)RPI Republican Party of India (Athawale) | 5900.26% |
| 9 | K. Dinesh (lost deposit)IND Independent | 5310.23% |
| NOTANone of the above: not a candidate | 5190.23% | |
| 10 | G. Prabu (lost deposit)IND Independent | 5020.22% |
| 11 | R. Manimaran (lost deposit)IND Independent | 4710.21% |
| 12 | R. Kalidass (lost deposit)IND Independent | 4690.20% |
| 13 | Ranjithkumar Balusamy (lost deposit)BSP Bahujan Samaj Party | 4580.20% |
| 14 | S. Pandi (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3610.16% |
| 15 | A. Jeevitha (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3210.14% |
| 16 | J. Aziz Abdul Rahman (lost deposit)SMNK Samaniya Makkal Nala Katchi | 3150.14% |
| 17 | B. Shanthi (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2630.11% |
| 18 | R. Lakshmanan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2580.11% |
| 19 | V. Veeramanikandan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2360.10% |
| 20 | M. Ramu (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2160.09% |
| 21 | V. Suresh (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2160.09% |
| 22 | K. Muthukumar (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1750.08% |
| 23 | K. Selvi (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1690.07% |
| 24 | M. S. Udhuman Ali (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1660.07% |
| 25 | S. V. Ramanathan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1570.07% |
Karaikudi — TVK's Dr Prabhu TK rolls Congress in Chettinad heartland
Karaikudi has been one of Congress's safest Tamil Nadu seats — INC's S. Mangudi held it in 2021 with a 21,589-vote margin and K. R. Ramasamy carried it in 2016 by 18,283 votes. In 2026 the seat flipped completely: TVK's Dr Prabhu TK dispatched Mangudi himself by more than double the 2021 margin.
Karaikudi voted INC in 2006, 2016 and 2021; H. Raja won it for the BJP in 2001, and the AIADMK's C. T. Palanichamy in 2011.
Where Karaikudi was won
| Led by | Booths of 388 | Villages of 70 |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. T. K. Prabhu TVK | 359 | 68 |
| S. Mangudi INC | 20 | 0 |
| Others | 9 | 2 |
| Closest village | Ambakkudi: AMMK ahead by 9 | |
Dr. T. K. Prabhu’s biggest leads
- Karaikudi+13,516107 booths
- Devakottai+5,39250 booths
- Sangarapuram+1,51014 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
- Sivaganga
- Electors, 2026
- 3,05,925women 1,56,610 (51.2%) · men 1,49,286 (48.8%) · third gender 29
Sources · electoral roll, reservation: ECI · Lok Sabha seat: 2008 delimitation order
Postal ballot breakdown
Postal-ballot leader differs from overall winner. INC MANGUDI. S led postal ballots (867), but TVK DR.PRABHU. TK won the seat overall (1,01,358).
2,270 postal ballots · from polling staff, election-duty officers, absentee voters · counted before EVM rounds
| # | Candidate | Party | Postal votes | EVM votes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S. Mangudi | INC | 867 | 54,417 | 55,284 |
| 2 | Dr. T. K. Prabhu | TVK | 731 | 1,00,627 | 1,01,358 |
| 3 | Seeman | NTK | 316 | 30,477 | 30,793 |
| 4 | Dherpoki V. Pandi | AMMK | 286 | 33,066 | 33,352 |
| 5 | K. Karuppiah | RPI( | 13 | 577 | 590 |
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 | 46,074 | 18th | 11,416 |
| Winner’s share | 44.2% | 40th | 37.4% |
| Turnout | 74.9% | 230th | 86.9% |
| Votes cast | 2,29,267 | 57th | 2,08,471 |
| Candidates | 25 | =24th | 15 |
| NOTA votes | 519 | =204th | 784 |
| Since 2021 | TVK took the seat from INC. In 2021 S. Mangudi won it by 21,589 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 Karaikudi
Karaikudi is Chettinad's largest town, known for the grand mansions of the Nagarathar (Nattukottai Chettiar) community — 19th-century homes, built with Burma teak, Athangudi tiles and Belgian mirrors, that still line the streets of Kanadukathan and Kothamangalam. The town gives its name to a GI-tagged cuisine of pepper-heavy chicken, crab and fish kuzhambu cooked on firewood.
Thirumayam Fort sits 30 km north on the road to Pudukkottai, and the Pillayarpatti rock-cut Vinayagar shrine is half an hour west. Heritage hotels like The Bangala and Visalam have turned old mansions into a quiet luxury circuit.
Karaikudi & Chettinad country
Karaikudi is Chettinad's capital — Nattukottai Chettiar mansions in Kanadukathan and Kothamangalam, hand-pressed Athangudi tile floors, and the GI-tagged Chettinad kitchen (kozhi Chettinad, nandu masala, pepper chicken). Drive 30 km to Thirumayam's hilltop fort, stop at Pillayarpatti's rock-cut Vinayagar, and bed down at The Bangala or Visalam.
Plan your trip on TN Explorer →Quick answers
Who won Karaikudi in the 2026 Tamil Nadu election?
Dr. T. K. Prabhu of TVK won Karaikudi (AC 184) in the April 2026 Assembly election with 1,01,358 votes, 44.21% of the votes polled, ahead of S. Mangudi of CONG by 46,074 votes.
Who is the MLA of Karaikudi?
Dr. T. K. Prabhu of TVK was elected MLA for Karaikudi in April 2026 and sits in the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly.
What was the turnout in Karaikudi in 2026?
Turnout was 74.9%: 2,29,267 of 3,05,925 electors voted.
Which district is Karaikudi in?
Karaikudi (constituency number 184) is in Sivaganga district, part of the Sivaganga Lok Sabha seat.
Who won Karaikudi before 2026?
In 2021 S. Mangudi of INC won by 21,589 votes over H. Raja. In 2016 K. R. Ramasamy of INC won by 18,283 votes over Karpagam Ilango.
Sources: Form 20, booth-wise result (PDF)ECI result, AC 184Community line: ThePrint, 24 Sep 2025
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