India, Oct. 9 -- Tamil Nadu's ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) maintained its lead in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly bypolls on Friday, while the ruling AINRC in neighbouring Puducherry retained the Thattanchavady seat with a victory margin of 8,482 votes.

In Tamil Nadu, TVK candidates Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama remained ahead as counting progressed, strengthening the party's position in the two constituencies. Party workers celebrated the trends by bursting firecrackers and distributing sweets.

Kumaravel held a consistent lead in Madurantakam, where DMK candidate I Paranthamen was in second place and AIADMK nominee S Kanitha Sampath in third. Kumaravel's margin had crossed 6,000 votes by the fifth round and co...