Tambaram, long a DMK stronghold, is uncertain ground for the party after it dropped sitting MLA S R Raja. The move triggered unrest in DMK ranks and has handed rivals an unexpected opening. AIADMK is pushing for a comeback, while TVK wants to tap into voter fatigue and urban concerns.After emerging a separate constituency following the 1977 delimitation, Tambaram has, over the decades, transitioned from a semirural suburb into a dense urban cluster. Its transformation into a major residential and commercial hub has reshaped voter priorities. Issues such as water supply, stormwater drainage, traffic bottlenecks, and waste management dominate campaign discourse, cutting across party lines.DMK has won seven of the 11 elections since 1977. Leaders such as M A Vaithyalingam and, more recently, S R Raja have anchored the party’s presence here. Raja, a three-time MLA, had consolidated a stable support base across residential pockets.However, DMK dropped Raja and fielded Dr R S Kiruthika Devi, a new face, triggering protests from his supporters. The leadership’s gamble appears aimed at countering fatigue and recalibrating its pitch for afresh and youth-focused DMK 2.0. Rivals sense an opportunity here.AIADMK, which last won Tambaram in 2011, seeks to capitalise on the churn within DMK. AIADMK candidate, former South Chenani MP C Rajendran, is a familiar face in the area.He has worked his way up from the grassroots – as a councillor in Chitalapakkam and as former chairman of St Thomas Mount Panchayat union.AIADMK cadres believe, they can, in Raja’s absence, make inroads among longtime residents, who were close to him.“Had Raja been there, the competition would have been tough. But Kiruthika is not well known across the constituency. Raja loyalists may not vote for her as they had gheraoed T R Baalu’s house and even Arivalayam when the party denied him a ticket,” said K Mugilan, a DMK supporter from Tambaram.TVK is the wild-card entry this time. Its candidate, D Sarathkumar, is expected to draw support from youngsters, and sections disillusioned with the Dravidian duopoly. Residents also say Sarathkumar has the support of former DMK member Jai Pradeep Chandran.While TVK lacks organisational depth, its campaign has been focusing on governance, corruption, and urban quality-of-life issues. Political observers say even a modest vote share for TVK could alter the results.“Both AIADMK and DMK members have visited houses and verified the voters’ list. It remains to be seen if TVK can affect the mandate. The voters are clear about one thing: we need development,” said Perulli Viswanathan, a social activist from Tambaram.
