Tiruchendur
Tiruchendur 2026: Anitha Radhakrishnan wins fifth term by 5,872 votes
Veteran fisheries minister Anitha R. Radhakrishnan won Tiruchendur for a fifth time with 72,723 votes, holding off TVK's J. Murugan by 5,872 votes. The DMK senior's margin has now slipped from 26,001 in 2016 to 25,263 in 2021 to under six thousand in 2026, with TVK's first outing turning the coastal seat into a real contest.
Top 5 candidates
| # | Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ANITHA R. RADHAKRISHNAN | DMK | 72,723 | 39.57% |
| 2 | J. MURUGAN | TVK | 66,851 | 36.38% |
| 3 | K R M RADHAKRISHNAN | BJP | 34,159 | 18.59% |
| 4 | OPHILIYA | NTK | 9,794 | 5.33% |
| 5 | NOTA | NOTA | 722 | 0.39% |
Postal ballot breakdown
| # | Candidate | Party | Postal votes | EVM votes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ANITHA R. RADHAKRISHNAN | DMK | 1,159 | 71,564 | 72,723 |
| 2 | J. MURUGAN | TVK | 501 | 66,350 | 66,851 |
| 3 | K R M RADHAKRISHNAN | BJP | 494 | 33,665 | 34,159 |
| 4 | OPHILIYA | NTK | 118 | 9,676 | 9,794 |
| 5 | NOTA | NOTA | 12 | 710 | 722 |
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.
About Tiruchendur
Tiruchendur is a coastal pilgrimage town in Thoothukudi district, home to the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy temple, one of the six abodes of Lord Murugan and the only one set on a beach. The constituency takes in the town plus the surrounding fishing villages and salt-pan stretches that run north to Tuticorin port. The economy turns on the temple-pilgrimage flow, marine fishing, salt manufacture and the Sterlite-era industrial belt that still shapes local politics. Anitha R. Radhakrishnan, a five-term MLA who switched from AIADMK to DMK, has dominated the seat since 2001 and now serves as fisheries minister.
Plan a visit
Take the dawn darshan at the Tiruchendur Murugan temple right above the surf, walk the long beach toward the Nazareth fishing villages, and drive north to Tuticorin's pearl-diver harbour and the salt pans. Kanniyakumari's three-sea confluence is two hours south for a longer trip.
Plan your trip on TN Explorer →