The 2026 Assembly elections witnessed a multi-cornered contest featuring N. Eramakrishnan of the DMK, STK Jakkaiyan of the AIADMK, A. Anbuselvi of the NTK, and PLA Jeganath Mishra of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). In the results, Jeganath Mishra emerged victorious, while N. Eramakrishnan secured second place and STK Jakkaiyan finished third.Cumbum, located in the scenic Cumbum Valley in Theni district, has seen varied political representation across major parties over the years. The constituency is known for its agricultural productivity, particularly in grapes and cardamom.In the 2021 Assembly elections, DMK’s N. Eramakrishnan won with 1,04,800 votes, defeating AIADMK’s Syedukhan SPM by a substantial margin of 42,413 votes. This victory marked a return for Eramakrishnan, who had previously won in 2011 but lost in 2016 to AIADMK’s STK Jakkaiyan, who secured the seat with 91,099 votes.Historically, since the 1977 elections, the AIADMK has won the constituency four times, while the DMK has secured three victories. The 2026 campaign is centered around issues such as irrigation for the Cumbum Valley, welfare schemes for plantation workers, and law and order.While the DMK alliance highlights its record on social justice and local development, the opposition—including the AIADMK and the resurgent TVK—has focused on allegations of administrative inefficiency and power shortages.
