TVK Formally Allots Rajya Sabha Seat to Congress — CM Vijay Issues Personal Statement; Poll June 18

CM Vijay on Wednesday personally issued a statement formally allotting the Tamil Nadu Rajya Sabha by-election seat to alliance partner Congress: "In the Rajya Sabha election scheduled to be held in Tamil Nadu on June 18, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam-led alliance has decided to allocate the Rajya Sabha seat to its alliance partner, the Indian National Congress."

The seat fell vacant after AIADMK leader C. Ve. Shanmugam resigned from the Rajya Sabha on May 7, 2026, following his victory in the Mailam Assembly constituency in the state elections.

Returning Officer P. Thenmozhi confirmed the bypoll schedule: nominations until June 8, scrutiny on June 9 at 11 am, last date for withdrawal June 11 at 3 pm, and polling at the Secretariat on June 18 from 9 am to 4 pm if more than one candidate remains in the fray.

Congress is expected to field All India Professionals' Congress chief Praveen Chakravarthy — the architect of the TVK-Congress electoral alliance — as its candidate. With TVK commanding 159 votes in the 234-seat House, the seat is a mathematical certainty for the alliance.