Salem (West)
All 31 candidates
| # | Candidate | Votes · share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | S. LakshmananWonTVK Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam | 1,20,40751.37% |
| 2 | M. KarthePMK Pattali Makkal Katchi | 45,54019.43% |
| 3 | Alagaapuram R. MohanrajDMDK Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam | 41,52217.71% |
| Below this line, candidates lost their deposit: 38,892 votes or fewer, one-sixth of the 2,33,355 votes for all candidates | ||
| 4 | Arul Ramadas (lost deposit)AJPK Aanaithinthiya Jananayaka Pathukappu Kazhagam | 12,5325.35% |
| 5 | R. Suresh Kumar (lost deposit)NTK Naam Tamilar Katchi | 6,8202.91% |
| NOTANone of the above: not a candidate | 1,0520.45% | |
| 6 | G. Raj Kumar (lost deposit)TVAK Tamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi | 6360.27% |
| 7 | S. Er Prabakaran (lost deposit)IND Independent | 6130.26% |
| 8 | K. Prabu (lost deposit)VTK Vishwa Tamil Kazhagam | 4040.17% |
| 9 | R. Gunasekaran (lost deposit)BSP Bahujan Samaj Party | 3950.17% |
| 10 | S. Bharath (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3950.17% |
| 11 | G. Chandrasekaran (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3930.17% |
| 12 | S. Velmanikandan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3690.16% |
| 13 | Srisabarinathan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3590.15% |
| 14 | N. Amirthalingam (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3180.14% |
| 15 | P. Arul (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3010.13% |
| 16 | A. P. Kumar (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2630.11% |
| 17 | M. Karthick (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2430.10% |
| 18 | D. Arul (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2390.10% |
| 19 | C. Manohar (lost deposit)IND Independent | 2140.09% |
| 20 | M. Thiyagarajan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1840.08% |
| 21 | A. Perumal (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1810.08% |
| 22 | R. Selvam (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1470.06% |
| 23 | R. Radhakrishnan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1370.06% |
| 24 | D. K. Bharanitharan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1180.05% |
| 25 | S. Vijayakumar (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1110.05% |
| 26 | T. Arul (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1080.05% |
| 27 | R. Karthick (lost deposit)IND Independent | 910.04% |
| 28 | R. Mohan Raj (lost deposit)IND Independent | 880.04% |
| 29 | S. Arul (lost deposit)IND Independent | 850.04% |
| 30 | Dhanapal (lost deposit)IND Independent | 740.03% |
| 31 | P. Panneerselvam (lost deposit)IND Independent | 680.03% |
Salem West sweep — TVK takes the Steel City's largest-ever result
TVK's S. Lakshmanan won Salem (West) over PMK's M. Karthe — the fifth-largest margin anywhere in Tamil Nadu in 2026, and the largest the seat has produced since the 2008 delimitation. AIADMK held this seat through G. Venkatachalam in 2011 and 2016; PMK's R. Arul won it on the AIADMK alliance ticket in 2021.
The 2026 result was a near-collapse for the AIADMK bloc — Karthe, again for the AIADMK alliance, finished with under 40% of Lakshmanan's vote tally. Salem West sits in the urban heart of TN's 'Steel City', whose SAIL Salem Steel Plant has been operating since 1982.
Where Salem (West) was won
| Led by | Booths of 310 | Villages of 23 |
|---|---|---|
| S. Lakshmanan TVK | 303 | 22 |
| M. Karthe PMK | 4 | 1 |
| Others | 3 | 0 |
S. Lakshmanan’s biggest leads
- Salem+46,130199 booths
- Karukkalvadi+3,03112 booths
- Mallamuppanpatti+3,0259 booths
M. Karthe’s best villages
- Puthu Nallagoundampatti+651 booth
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
- Salem
- Electors, 2026
- 2,57,950women 1,29,480 (50.2%) · men 1,28,406 (49.8%) · third gender 64
Sources · electoral roll, reservation: ECI · Lok Sabha seat: 2008 delimitation order
Postal ballot breakdown
2,175 postal ballots · from polling staff, election-duty officers, absentee voters · counted before EVM rounds
| # | Candidate | Party | Postal votes | EVM votes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S. Lakshmanan | TVK | 820 | 1,19,587 | 1,20,407 |
| 2 | M. Karthe | PMK | 534 | 45,006 | 45,540 |
| 3 | Alagaapuram R. Mohanraj | DMDK | 522 | 41,000 | 41,522 |
| 4 | Arul Ramadas | AJPK | 141 | 12,391 | 12,532 |
| 5 | R. Suresh Kumar | NTK | 94 | 6,726 | 6,820 |
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 | 74,867 | 5th | 11,416 |
| Winner’s share | 51.4% | 10th | 37.4% |
| Turnout | 90.9% | 46th | 86.9% |
| Votes cast | 2,34,407 | 46th | 2,08,471 |
| Candidates | 31 | =5th | 15 |
| NOTA votes | 1,052 | 55th | 784 |
| Since 2021 | TVK took the seat from PMK. In 2021 R. Arul won it by 21,499 votes. | ||
Winners and runners-up, 2011–2026
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.
Salem (West) was created by the 2008 delimitation; pre-2008 the area voted in the older Salem-I and Salem-II seats. The 2021 winner R. Arul was PMK, a junior partner in the AIADMK alliance; the 2026 runner-up M. Karthe is also PMK in the AIADMK alliance.
About Salem West
Salem (West) (AC 88) covers the western half of Salem city, the urban core of Tamil Nadu's 'Steel City'. The constituency was created by the 2008 delimitation; before that, the area was split across the older Salem-I and Salem-II seats.
SAIL's Salem Steel Plant — India's flagship stainless-steel mill, operational since 1982 — is the city's defining industry, alongside the saree-weaving traditions, mango trade, and the gateway role to Yercaud hill station 30 km up the Shevaroy range.
Salem & the Steel City
Salem West is the urban heart of TN's Steel City — SAIL's stainless mill on one side, the Sugavaneswarar gopuram and Kottai Mariamman in the old quarter on the other.
Drive 30 km up the ghats to Yercaud's quieter coffee slopes (Loop Road, Lady's Seat, Karadiyur view), or out to Sankagiri's Vijayanagara-Tipu fort and the 1934 Mettur Dam on the Cauvery. End at the Magudanchavadi food belt for Kongu-style beef chukka and country-chicken kulambu.
Plan your trip on TN Explorer →Quick answers
Who won Salem (West) in the 2026 Tamil Nadu election?
S. Lakshmanan of TVK won Salem (West) (AC 88) in the April 2026 Assembly election with 1,20,407 votes, 51.37% of the votes polled, ahead of M. Karthe of PMK by 74,867 votes.
Who is the MLA of Salem (West)?
S. Lakshmanan of TVK was elected MLA for Salem (West) in April 2026 and sits in the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly.
What was the turnout in Salem (West) in 2026?
Turnout was 90.9%: 2,34,407 of 2,57,950 electors voted.
Which district is Salem (West) in?
Salem (West) (constituency number 88) is in Salem district, part of the Salem Lok Sabha seat.
Who won Salem (West) before 2026?
In 2021 R. Arul of PMK won by 21,499 votes over A. Rajendran. In 2016 G. Venkatachalam of AIADMK won by 7,247 votes over C. Panneer Selvam.
Sources: Form 20, booth-wise result (PDF)ECI result, AC 88
Report an errorweb@tnexplorer.com