2019 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by-elections

By-elections to eighteen state assembly constituencies were held in Tamil Nadu on 18 April 2019 together with 2019 Indian general election. It was considered to be mini-assembly election battle for the power in Tamil Nadu. The ruling government had to prove its majority while the opposition was trying hard to get maximum seats. There were 22 seats vacant in the Tamil Nadu assembly, By-election took place in two phases and in the first phase for 18 assembly constituencies together with Lok Sabha general election on 18 April 2019 in the state. Remaining 4 assembly constituencies (Ottapidaram, Aravakurichi, Tiruparankundram and Sulur) election was held on 19 May. The counting of votes was conducted on 23 May, and on the same day the results were announced. Then the by-elections for 2 seats Vikravandi and Nanguneri were conducted on 21 October 2019

2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Election
The backdrop for the political upheaval in Tamil Nadu unfolded with the 2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election held on 16 May 2016. In a surprising turn of events, the AIADMK, led by the charismatic Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, defied the odds presented by opinion polls and secured a victory by winning 134 seats out of 234. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by M K Stalin, emerged as the principal opposition party. Tragically, J Jayalalithaa passed away in December, leading to a series of consequential events.

Transition of Power and Leadership Struggles
Following J Jayalalithaa's demise, O Paneerselvam, the former two time Chief Minister and then Finance Minister in her cabinet, assumed the role of Chief Minister on behalf of the AIADMK. However, in January 2017, Paneerselvam resigned, paving the way for the controversial election of V K Sasikala as the next Chief Minister. The pending verdict on Sasikala's misappropriation case in the Supreme Court prompted a delay in her appointment by the Governor of Tamil Nadu.

Within days of her election, Sasikala faced a legal setback, as she was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison, rendering her ineligible for the Chief Minister's position. Simultaneously, Paneerselvam refused to comply with Sasikala's directives, leading to the formation of a rebel faction comprising 11 MLAs. Paneerselvam sought an opportunity to prove his majority in the assembly and retain the office of Chief Minister.

Resort Confinement and Appointment of Edappadi K Palanisami
In an effort to prevent horse-trading, the remaining AIADMK MLAs were sequestered in a resort in Kuvathoor near Chennai for a week. During this time, Sasikala handpicked Minister Edappadi K Palanisami as her choice for Chief Minister. Palanisami was subsequently elected by the MLAs in the resort. To avert a constitutional crisis, the Governor swore in Palanisami as the Chief Minister, despite opposition from the OPS faction.

The subsequent motion of confidence in the Legislature witnessed turmoil and physical tuggle, with 11 MLAs from the OPS faction voting against Palanisami and all opposition MLAs walking out. Nevertheless, he managed to secure majority support, solidifying his position as the Chief Minister.

Reconciliation and Fallout
O Paneerselvam later rejoined the AIADMK, assuming the role of Deputy Chief Minister in the latter half of 2017. Subsequently, VK Sasikala and her supporters were expelled from the AIADMK. In a dramatic turn of events, 19 MLAs from the Sasikala faction submitted a letter of no confidence against the Chief Minister to the Governor. The Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, responding to a complaint from the Government Whip, disqualified all of them, with the exception of MLA Jakkaiyan, who was acquitted after submitting a letter of apology.

The 18 disqualified MLAs appealed to the Judiciary to nullify the Speaker's decision, with the last verdict from the division bench of Madras High Court coming against them in January 2019. They then decided to fight the by-elections as candidates of the newly formed Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam alongside the Lok Sabha elections, rather let it sit at the Supreme Court of India.

Further Disqualification and Ministerial Loss
In addition to the political turbulence, the AIADMK faced another setback when ADMK minister P. Balakrishna Reddy was convicted in an old arson case. Consequently, he not only lost his ministerial position but also faced disqualification as the MLA from the Hosur Assembly constituency.

Tragic Loss of Political Veterans
The political landscape of Tamil Nadu experienced a profound shift with the unfortunate demise of key political figures.

In August 2018, the revered 5-time former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and President of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), M Karunanidhi, breathed his last, marking the end of an era in Tamil Nadu politics. Karunanidhi's significant contributions to the state's governance and his longstanding influence on the DMK left an indelible mark on Tamil Nadu's political history.

Adding to the somber note, the DMK suffered another loss in September 2018 with the passing of MLA Mr Ramani in a Road accident. His dedication and service to the party were acknowledged as the political landscape mourned the loss of a committed representative.

Continuing the sequence of unfortunate events, in 2019, the AIADMK mourned the demise of MLA Kanagaraj in Sulur due to a heart attack. His contributions to the party and the Hosur constituency left a void, marking yet another chapter in the evolving political narrative of Tamil Nadu.

Potential Shift in Political Landscape
Historically, Tamil Nadu had witnessed a stable political scenario with no midterm switch of power from the ruling party to opposition. As the 2016 elections approached, the incumbent AIADMK government, armed with 112 MLAs, found itself six seats short of a majority to sustain its administration for the remaining two years.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), having been relegated to the third position in the 2011 Tamil Nadu Elections, was unable to reclaim power in the subsequent 2016 Tamil Nadu Elections. The DMK led Secular Progressive Alliance, entered the by-elections with 98 MLAs. Their strategic goal was to secure victory in 20 out of the 24 contested seats, thereby guaranteeing a historic change in government. The stakes were high as both parties vied for a significant political shift in the state.

Phase 1
Phase 1 By-Elections will be held for 18 vacant assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

Phase 2
Phase 2 By-Elections will be held for the remaining 4 vacant assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

Notable Party-wise contesting candidates list
There are 36 candidates from the Recognized State political party, 46 candidates from the other registered regional parties and 187 Independent politicians for of total 269 candidates for the 18 seats by-election officially announced by Tamil Nadu election commission.

Electoral Outcomes and Subsequent Developments
Following the by-elections, the AIADMK successfully secured 11 seats, bringing their single strength to 123 and thus reaffirming its position as the ruling party. This sordid victory not only solidified their grip on power but also strengthened hand of Edappadi K Palanisami within the party. Despite DMK winning 11 seats, the DMK alliance could not reach the magic total of 118 and DMK stayed as the opposition party, albeit as the party with the most MLAs in the history of the opposition parties in the state's legislature.

Out of the 18 disqualified MLAs, only former ADMK minister V. Senthil Balaji managed to reclaim his seat. However, noteworthy is his prior publicized transition to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in February 2019, and winning as Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate.

Despite the DMK's significant success in the Lok Sabha elections and the by-elections, winning 39 out of 40 seats (39 in Tamil Nadu and one in Pondicherry), their state-level influence did not experience a substantial shift. However, these events set the stage for the political landscape leading up to the anticipated 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, when the electoral tides turned in favor of the DMK alliance, ultimately leading to DMK's return as the ruling party with a single majority.