India
oi-Swastika Sruti
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s campaign list for the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram bypolls has been revised after objections over the inclusion of leaders from allied parties. The Election Commission has issued an updated list of star campaigners, removing the names of Vaiko, Thol Thirumavalavan and Manickam Tagore from the TVK list.
Following objections over election rules, the Election Commission revised Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s star campaigner list for the October 6 Maduranthakam and Dharapuram bypolls, removing allied leaders Vaiko, Thol Thirumavalavan, and Manickam Tagore.
The change follows complaints that the original list included leaders belonging to other political parties. Opposition parties had argued that such inclusion raised questions under election rules and sought action from the poll authorities. The revision comes as TVK prepares for the October 6 by-elections in the two Assembly constituencies.
TVK star campaigners list revised after objections
The earlier TVK list had named several prominent non-TVK leaders, including MDMK general secretary Vaiko, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan, Tamil Nadu Congress leader Manickam Tagore, Indian Union Muslim League national president K. M. Kader Mohideen and MP Durai Vaiko. Their presence on the list triggered political objections soon after it became public.
After the complaints, the star campaigners list was amended. The updated list no longer carries the names of Vaiko, Thirumavalavan and Manickam Tagore, according to the information released by the Election Commission. The move effectively limits the recognised TVK campaigner list to leaders and functionaries cleared under the revised submission.
Star campaigner lists matter because campaign travel expenditure of approved leaders is treated differently under election expenditure rules. If a recognised star campaigner travels for general party campaigning, that expense is not automatically added to a candidate’s individual spending account. However, if a campaigner specifically seeks votes for a candidate, relevant costs can still be apportioned as per election rules.
Why the row matters in the bypoll campaign
The dispute is significant because bypoll campaigns are closely watched for spending, coordination and compliance. The Representation of the People Act and Election Commission instructions regulate how parties submit names of star campaigners. National and state parties are allowed to submit a list of up to 40 star campaigners, while registered unrecognised parties can submit up to 20.
Political parties generally include their own top leaders, ministers, MPs, MLAs and key organisers in such lists. When leaders from separate parties appear on another party’s list, questions can arise over authorisation, campaign expense accounting and political messaging. That is why rival parties moved quickly to challenge TVK’s original submission.
The controversy also comes at a sensitive moment for TVK. The party is preparing to test its organisational strength in two constituencies before a larger electoral cycle. For a relatively new force in Tamil Nadu politics, the bypolls offer a chance to show booth-level reach, alliance discipline and campaign management under close scrutiny.
TVK has fielded Maragatham Kumaravel in Maduranthakam and Sathyabama in Dharapuram. Both constituencies will vote on October 6. Party chief and Chief Minister Vijay is expected to campaign for the nominees, with plans for two days of canvassing in Maduranthakam and two days in Dharapuram.
Vijay campaign to be central to TVK push
Vijay’s campaign schedule is expected to be the main attraction for TVK workers and supporters. The party has also formed a campaign coordination team headed by minister Anand to manage election work. The revised star campaigner list is likely to help the party move ahead without allowing the row to dominate its ground campaign.
For TVK, the immediate task is to keep attention on local issues and candidate outreach. Bypolls often depend on turnout, booth mobilisation and constituency-specific grievances more than broad state-level narratives. The presence of a high-profile leader can energise cadres, but compliance mistakes can quickly become a distraction in a short campaign.
The opposition’s objection also underlines the increasingly technical nature of election contests. Parties now monitor not only speeches and alliances, but also paperwork, expenditure classification and campaign permissions. A dispute over a list can shape the political conversation even before major rallies begin.
In Tamil Nadu, alliances often involve leaders from different parties sharing stages and appealing for each other’s candidates. That kind of campaign cooperation is common. The issue in this case was narrower: whether leaders from other parties could be formally shown in TVK’s own list of star campaigners for expenditure and election documentation purposes.
The Election Commission’s revised list settles the immediate procedural issue, though the political debate may continue through the campaign. With polling scheduled for October 6, TVK and its rivals now have a limited window to convert organisational strength into votes in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram.
