Udhayanidhi Stalin booked for involving minor in Dharapuram campaign
Tiruppur Police register case against Udhayanidhi Stalin for allegedly involving a minor in the Dharapuram by-election campaign.
The Tiruppur District Police has officially registered a case against Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, following allegations that a minor was used during an election campaign for the Dharapuram by-election.
Allegations of violating EC guidelines
The incident reportedly took place during a campaign meeting held near the Periyar statue in Dharapuram town. According to police reports, Udhayanidhi allegedly instructed a minor boy to board a campaign van to address the gathering. During the interaction, the child made remarks directed at Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, specifically saying, "Om Kali.. Bhadra Kali..."
Authorities stated that this incident constitutes a direct violation of Election Commission guidelines, which strictly prohibit the involvement of children in any election-related activities. Furthermore, police noted that the child was made to speak in a manner that was insulting to the Chief Minister.
High-stakes Dharapuram by-election
The controversy arises amidst a high-stakes political battle in the Dharapuram constituency, a Scheduled Caste-reserved seat in the Tiruppur district. The by-election, scheduled for October 6, was triggered after AIADMK MLA P Sathyabama resigned from her post in May 2026, shortly after her victory in the 2026 Assembly elections. Sathyabama has since joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and is now contesting the seat as their candidate.
The electoral contest features several heavyweights:
- Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK): P Sathyabama
- DMK: Advocate S Suganya
- AIADMK: K Bhanumathi
- CPI: P Lakshmanan
- NTK: M Karthika
This bypoll is being viewed as a critical litmus test for the TVK government led by Chief Minister Vijay. As the government currently lacks an outright majority, victories in both the Dharapuram and Madurantakam bypolls are considered essential to consolidate its political position.