In a surprising turn of events during the vote counting for the April 23 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, VS Babu, the candidate from the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has defeated the incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the Kolathur constituency. Babu secured over 82,000 votes, while Stalin received over 74,000 votes, marking a significant upset in a constituency traditionally regarded as a DMK stronghold. P Santhana Krishnan from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) came in third with just over 18,000 votes. Babu, who has had a diverse political career, previously served as an MLA and held various positions within the DMK before joining TVK, where he is currently the joint general secretary. This election is particularly noteworthy as TVK, founded by actor Vijay, is making a strong debut, winning several seats and leading in others, potentially reshaping the political landscape in Tamil Nadu.