Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, has secured victory in the Dharapuram Assembly by-elections, sparking a sharp political clash between the ruling administration and the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Following the announcement of the results, Vijay directed criticism toward the DMK, asserting that the electoral outcome served as a clear message against derogatory language directed at women. The remarks underscored ongoing tensions stemming from the campaign trail.

The friction follows controversial comments made by DMK president M K Stalin during campaigning, where he referred to TVK candidate P Sathyabama as β€œPetti Bama.” The expression drew swift condemnation from the TVK, which accused the opposition leader of misogynistic and disrespectful remarks.

In contrast, Stalin took to social media to denounce the bypoll process, describing the event as a severe subversion of democratic principles. He characterized the TVK's electoral success as a temporary triumph built on betrayal while predicting the eventual collapse of what he termed false image politics.