In a remarkable upset during the Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2026, V. S. Babu of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) defeated Chief Minister M. K. Stalin in his traditional stronghold of Kolathur, located in Chennai district. With 80,835 votes, Babu led Stalin by 8,517 votes, who garnered 72,318 votes. This defeat is particularly striking as Stalin had previously won the seat in three consecutive elections (2011, 2016, and 2021) by significant margins, including a victory of over 70,000 votes in 2021. The voter turnout surged to 86.12%, a notable increase from 61.68% in the previous election, which appears to have played a crucial role in this outcome. The result not only signifies a personal loss for Stalin but also suggests a broader political shift in Tamil Nadu, where TVK is leading in over 100 seats statewide, indicating a transformative moment in the region's political dynamics.