Rajapalayam
All 22 candidates
| # | Candidate | Votes · share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. JegadeshwariWonTVK Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam | 65,54835.81% |
| 2 | S. ThangapandianDMK Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 54,94330.02% |
| 3 | J. Priscilla PandianBJP Bharatiya Janata Party | 36,31819.84% |
| Below this line, candidates lost their deposit: 30,377 votes or fewer, one-sixth of the 1,82,267 votes for all candidates | ||
| 4 | Dr. T. E. Karthikeyan (lost deposit)NTK Naam Tamilar Katchi | 16,9729.27% |
| 5 | T. Ramadevi (lost deposit)PT Puthiya Tamilagam | 2,5441.39% |
| 6 | A. Harish (lost deposit)AIPTMM All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnettra Kazhagam | 1,5470.85% |
| 7 | T. Nasrin Banu (lost deposit)RPI Republican Party of India (Athawale) | 1,2400.68% |
| NOTANone of the above: not a candidate | 7530.41% | |
| 8 | M. Manmathan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 4140.23% |
| 9 | R. Muthulakshmi (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3510.19% |
| 10 | B. Thangapandi (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3040.17% |
| 11 | K. Selvi (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2980.16% |
| 12 | N. Jegathishwari (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2920.16% |
| 13 | S. Alagumurugan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2680.15% |
| 14 | V. Balamurugan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2030.11% |
| 15 | A. Selvakumar (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1800.10% |
| 16 | D. Murugan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1710.09% |
| 17 | Samuel Raj (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1400.08% |
| 18 | C. C. Shanmugachandra Velavan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1370.07% |
| 19 | G. Saravanan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1190.07% |
| 20 | G. Vijendran (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1080.06% |
| 21 | K. Ganesan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 950.05% |
| 22 | A. Alagupandian (lost deposit)IND Independent | 750.04% |
Rajapalayam 2026: TVK's Jegadeshwari beats DMK MLA Thangapandian
TVK's K. Jegadeshwari won Rajapalayam with 65,548 votes, defeating two-term DMK MLA S. Thangapandian on 54,943. The result in a 22-candidate field ends a decade of personal hold by Thangapandian, who had taken the seat by under 5,000 in both 2016 and 2021.
Where Rajapalayam was won
| Led by | Booths of 269 | Villages of 24 |
|---|---|---|
| K. Jegadeshwari TVK | 181 | 11 |
| S. Thangapandian DMK | 66 | 13 |
| Others | 22 | 0 |
| Closest village | Zamin Kollangkondan: TVK ahead by 10 | |
K. Jegadeshwari’s biggest leads
- Rajapalayam+7,813123 booths
- Chettiarpatti+1,96525 booths
- Pudupalayam+8968 booths
S. Thangapandian’s best villages
- Muthuchamipuram+39711 booths
- Aiyankollangkondan+3159 booths
- Puthur+2639 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
- Tenkasi (SC)
- Electors, 2026
- 2,14,192women 1,10,002 (51.4%) · men 1,04,157 (48.6%) · third gender 33
Sources · electoral roll, reservation: ECI · Lok Sabha seat: 2008 delimitation order
Postal ballot breakdown
Postal-ballot leader differs from overall winner. DMK THANGAPANDIAN. S led postal ballots (754), but TVK JEGADESHWARI. K won the seat overall (65,548).
2,240 postal ballots · from polling staff, election-duty officers, absentee voters · counted before EVM rounds
| # | Candidate | Party | Postal votes | EVM votes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S. Thangapandian | DMK | 754 | 54,189 | 54,943 |
| 2 | K. Jegadeshwari | TVK | 601 | 64,947 | 65,548 |
| 3 | J. Priscilla Pandian | BJP | 440 | 35,878 | 36,318 |
| 4 | Dr. T. E. Karthikeyan | NTK | 297 | 16,675 | 16,972 |
| 5 | T. Ramadevi | PT | 59 | 2,485 | 2,544 |
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 | 10,605 | 125th | 11,416 |
| Winner’s share | 35.8% | 157th | 37.4% |
| Turnout | 85.4% | 141st | 86.9% |
| Votes cast | 1,83,020 | 188th | 2,08,471 |
| Candidates | 22 | =46th | 15 |
| NOTA votes | 753 | =127th | 784 |
| Since 2021 | TVK took the seat from DMK. In 2021 S. Thangappandian won it by 3,898 votes. | ||
Winners and runners-up, 2011–2026
2011, 2016 and 2021 rows: checked against the ECI detailed results. Earlier rows: secondary sources.
About Rajapalayam
Rajapalayam (AC 202) is the cotton-and-spinning-mill heart of Virudhunagar district, with rows of textile units, the famous Rajapalayam Rakshak hound breed and the Western Ghats foothills rising at the western edge. The constituency takes in Rajapalayam town, Sandhayur, Cholapuram and parts of the Srivilliputhur fringe.
S. Thangapandian (DMK) won here narrowly in 2016 and 2021, with K. Gopalsamy (AIADMK) holding it in 2011; the 2026 result hands it to TVK on a debut.
When you are in Rajapalayam
Visit one of the small Rajapalayam Rakshak kennels on the town's outskirts to see the milk-white sighthound up close, then drive out to Sandhayur for the cool reservoir walk. The textile co-ops near Cholapuram still sell handloom mill-cloth straight from the looms.
Plan your trip on TN Explorer →Quick answers
Who won Rajapalayam in the 2026 Tamil Nadu election?
K. Jegadeshwari of TVK won Rajapalayam (AC 202) in the April 2026 Assembly election with 65,548 votes, 35.81% of the votes polled, ahead of S. Thangapandian of DMK by 10,605 votes.
Who is the MLA of Rajapalayam?
K. Jegadeshwari of TVK was elected MLA for Rajapalayam in April 2026 and sits in the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly.
What was the turnout in Rajapalayam in 2026?
Turnout was 85.4%: 1,83,020 of 2,14,192 electors voted.
Which district is Rajapalayam in?
Rajapalayam (constituency number 202) is in Virudhunagar district, part of the Tenkasi (SC) Lok Sabha seat.
Who won Rajapalayam before 2026?
In 2021 S. Thangappandian of DMK won by 3,898 votes over K. T. Rajenthra Bhalaji. In 2016 S. Thangappandian of DMK won by 4,802 votes over A. A. S. Shyam.
Sources: Form 20, booth-wise result (PDF)ECI result, AC 202
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