# Salem Lok Sabha constituency

Salem is a parliamentary (Lok Sabha) constituency in Tamil Nadu, India. Its Tamil Nadu Parliamentary Constituency number is 15 of 39. It includes 6 Assembly constituencies like Edappadi, Omalur, Salem North, Salem South, Salem West and Veerapandi.

## History

Since 1952, the Salem parliament seat was held by the Indian National Congress eight times (1952, 1957, 1962, 1984, 1989, 1991 and 2004), by the ADMK four times (1977, 1991, 2009 and 2014), by DMK three times (1967, 1971 and 1980), and once each by an independent (1998) and the Tamil Maanila Congress (1996).

## Assembly segments

Salem Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following assembly segments:
| Constituency number | Name | Reserved for (SC/ST/None) | District | Party |
| 84. | Omalur | None | Salem | AIADMK |
| 86. | Edappadi | None | Salem | AIADMK |
| 88. | Salem West | None | Salem | PMK |
| 89. | Salem North | None | Salem | DMK |
| 90. | Salem South | None | Salem | AIADMK |
| 91. | Veerapandi | None | Salem | AIADMK |

### Before 2009

* Salem I (defunct)
* Salem II (defunct)
* Omalur
* Yercuad (ST) (moved to Kallakurichi in 2009)
* Veerapandi
* Panamarathupatti (defunct)

## Members of the Parliament

| Year | Duration | Name | Party |
| First | 1952-57 | S. V. Ramaswamy | Indian National Congress |
| Second | 1957-62 | S. V. Ramaswamy | Indian National Congress |
| Third | 1962-67 | S. V. Ramaswamy | Indian National Congress |
| Fourth | 1967-71 | K. Rajaram | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Fifth | 1971-77 | E. R. Krishnan | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Sixth | 1977-80 | P. Kannan | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Seventh | 1980-84 | C. Palaniappan | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Eighth | 1984-89 | Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | Indian National Congress |
| Ninth | 1989-91 | Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | Indian National Congress |
| Tenth | 1991-96 | Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | Indian National Congress |
| Eleventh | 1996-98 | R. Devadass | Tamil Maanila Congress |
| Twelfth | 1998-99 | Vazhappady Ramamurthy | Independent |
| Thirteenth | 1999-04 | T. M. Selvaganapathi | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Fourteenth | 2004-09 | K. V. Thangkabalu | Indian National Congress |
| Fifteenth | 2009-14 | S. Semmalai | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Sixteenth | 2014-19 | V. Pannerselvam | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Seventeenth | 2019-24 | S. R. Parthiban | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Eighteenth | 2024-incumbent | T. M. Selvaganapathy | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |

## Election results

Vote share of Winning candidates :
| 2024 | 2024 | 43.98% | 43.98% |
| 2019 | 2019 | 48.51% | 48.51% |
| 2014 | 2014 | 49.27% | 49.27% |
| 2009 | 2009 | 42.51% | 42.51% |
| 2004 | 2004 | 59.96% | 59.96% |
| 1999 | 1999 | 49.73% | 49.73% |
| 1998 | 1998 | 55.47% | 55.47% |
| 1996 | 1996 | 47.07% | 47.07% |
| 1991 | 1991 | 67.03% | 67.03% |
| 1989 | 1989 | 60.85% | 60.85% |
| 1984 | 1984 | 69.21% | 69.21% |
| 1980 | 1980 | 50.85% | 50.85% |
| 1977 | 1977 | 58.71% | 58.71% |
| 1971 | 1971 | 55.87% | 55.87% |
| 1967 | 1967 | 57.07% | 57.07% |
| 1962 | 1962 | 49.34% | 49.34% |
| 1957 | 1957 | 47.18% | 47.18% |
| 1951 | 1951 | 44.44% | 44.44% |

### General Elections 2024

2024 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DMK | T. M. Selvaganapathy | 566,085 | 43.38 | 5.13 |
| | AIADMK | P. Vignesh | 495,728 | 37.99 | 1.23 |
| | PMK | Annadurai | 127,139 | 9.74 | |
| | NTK | Manoj Kumar | 76,207 | 5.84 | 3.13 |
| | NOTA | None of the above | 14,894 | 1.14 | 0.23 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 70,357 | 5.39 | − |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,304,844 | 78.16 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | DMK hold | DMK hold | Swing | | |

### General Elections 2019

2019 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DMK | S. R. Parthiban | 606,302 | 48.51 | 22.94 |
| | AIADMK | K. R. S. Saravanan | 4,59,376 | 36.76 | −12.51 |
| | MNM | M. Prabhu Manikandan Mudaliar | 58,662 | 4.69 | |
| | Independent | S. K. Selvam | 52,332 | 4.19 | |
| | NTK | A. Rasa | 33,890 | 2.71 | |
| | NOTA | None of the above | 17,130 | 1.37 | −0.45 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,46,926 | 11.76 | −11.93 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,49,755 | 77.91 | 2.11 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,12,512 | | 7.62 |
| | DMK gain from AIADMK | DMK gain from AIADMK | Swing | -0.75 | |

### General Elections 2014

2014 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | AIADMK | V. Pannerselvam | 556,546 | 49.27 | 6.75 |
| | DMK | S. Umarani | 2,88,936 | 25.58 | |
| | DMDK | L. K. Sudhish | 2,01,265 | 17.82 | 4.37 |
| | INC | Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | 46,477 | 4.11 | −33.20 |
| | NOTA | None of the above | 20,601 | 1.82 | |
| | Independent | N. Chinnusamy | 5,374 | 0.48 | |
| | AAP | E. Satheesh Kumar | 5,198 | 0.46 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 2,67,610 | 23.69 | 18.49 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,29,695 | 76.80 | −0.97 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,98,350 | | 27.86 |
| | AIADMK hold | AIADMK hold | Swing | 6.75 | |

### General Elections 2009

2009 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | AIADMK | S. Semmalai | 380,460 | 42.51 | 6.24 |
| | INC | K. V. Thangkabalu | 3,33,969 | 37.32 | −22.64 |
| | DMDK | R. Mohan Raj | 1,20,325 | 13.45 | |
| | Independent | C. Selladurai | 23,056 | 2.58 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 46,491 | 5.20 | −18.49 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,94,916 | 76.42 | 17.11 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,71,839 | | −6.34 |
| | AIADMK gain from INC | AIADMK gain from INC | Swing | -17.45 | |

### General Elections 2004

2004 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | INC | K. V. Thangkabalu | 444,591 | 59.96 | |
| | AIADMK | A. Rajasekaran | 2,68,964 | 36.28 | −13.46 |
| | Independent | M. A. Shah Jahan | 8,466 | 1.14 | |
| | Independent | C. D. Jaya Venugopal | 4,346 | 0.59 | |
| | ABHM | N. Balakrishnan | 4,101 | 0.55 | |
| | JP | R. Rajavel | 3,916 | 0.53 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,75,627 | 23.69 | 20.21 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,41,437 | 59.29 | 0.10 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,51,141 | | −0.50 |
| | INC gain from AIADMK | INC gain from AIADMK | Swing | 10.23 | |

### General Elections 1999

1999 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | AIADMK | T. M. Selvaganapathy | 363,689 | 49.73 | |
| | Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress | Vazhappady K. Ramamurthy | 3,38,278 | 46.26 | |
| | TMC(M) | R. Devadass | 19,604 | 2.68 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 25,411 | 3.47 | −17.15 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,31,277 | 59.17 | −6.20 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,57,383 | | 6.72 |
| | AIADMK gain from Independent | AIADMK gain from Independent | Swing | 2.66 | |

### General Elections 1998

1998 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Vazhappady K. Ramamurthy | 365,557 | 55.47 | |
| | TMC(M) | R. Devadass | 2,29,677 | 34.85 | |
| | INC | K. V. Thangkabalu | 48,027 | 7.29 | |
| | Independent | P. Sampathkumar | 10,311 | 1.56 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,35,880 | 20.62 | 2.57 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,58,973 | 57.70 | −7.66 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,78,177 | | 9.01 |
| | Independent gain from TMC(M) | Independent gain from TMC(M) | Swing | 8.40 | |

### General Elections 1996

1996 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | TMC(M) | R. Devadass | 315,277 | 47.07 | |
| | INC | K. V. Thangkabalu | 1,94,392 | 29.02 | −38.01 |
| | AIIC(T) | Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | 1,20,345 | 17.97 | |
| | BJP | N. Rajamani | 9,538 | 1.42 | 0.13 |
| | MDMK | B. Mohanraj | 6,245 | 0.93 | |
| | Independent | A. C. Murugesan | 4,927 | 0.74 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,20,885 | 18.05 | −28.60 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,69,817 | 65.36 | 4.25 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,80,762 | | 4.92 |
| | TMC(M) gain from INC | TMC(M) gain from INC | Swing | -19.96 | |

### General Elections 1991

1991 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | INC | Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | 406,042 | 67.03 | 6.18 |
| | DMK | K. P. Arthanarisamy | 1,23,474 | 20.38 | −3.77 |
| | PMK | K. Arjunan | 56,775 | 9.37 | |
| | BJP | K. S. Ramanathan | 7,867 | 1.30 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 2,82,568 | 46.65 | 9.95 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,05,749 | 61.11 | −3.67 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,30,128 | | −0.19 |
| | INC hold | INC hold | Swing | 6.18 | |

### General Elections 1989

1989 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | INC | Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | 400,936 | 60.85 | −8.36 |
| | DMK | M. Karthikeyan | 1,59,166 | 24.16 | |
| | PMK | K. Sadasivam | 85,628 | 13.00 | |
| | Tamiliar Kazhagam | A. Balasumbramaniam | 5,721 | 0.87 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 2,41,770 | 36.69 | −8.74 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,58,885 | 64.78 | −6.69 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,32,058 | | 34.59 |
| | INC hold | INC hold | Swing | -8.36 | |

### General Elections 1984

1984 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | INC | Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | 359,819 | 69.21 | |
| | JP | M. A. Kandasamy | 1,23,644 | 23.78 | |
| | Independent | T. Sambalingam | 6,808 | 1.31 | |
| | Independent | O. K. Ekambaram | 6,218 | 1.20 | |
| | Independent | P. Raju | 5,785 | 1.11 | |
| | Independent | A. M. Vachravel | 3,445 | 0.66 | |
| | Independent | M. Sengottuvelu | 3,430 | 0.66 | |
| | Independent | G. Selvaraj | 2,752 | 0.53 | |
| | Independent | R. Thangaraju | 2,660 | 0.51 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 2,36,175 | 45.43 | 39.72 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,19,863 | 71.47 | 3.40 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,66,792 | | 10.91 |
| | INC gain from DMK | INC gain from DMK | Swing | 18.36 | |

### General Elections 1980

1980 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DMK | V. S. Chandirakumar | 233,971 | 50.85 | 10.53 |
| | AIADMK | P. Kamnan | 2,07,713 | 45.14 | −13.57 |
| | INC(U) | M. Gandhinathan | 5,381 | 1.17 | |
| | Independent | T. Sambalingam | 3,327 | 0.72 | |
| | Independent | P. N. Balasubramaniam | 3,007 | 0.65 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 26,258 | 5.71 | −12.68 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,60,108 | 68.07 | 3.11 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,91,389 | | 1.98 |
| | DMK gain from AIADMK | DMK gain from AIADMK | Swing | -7.86 | |

### General Elections 1977

1977 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | AIADMK | P. Kannan | 254,138 | 58.71 | |
| | DMK | K. Rajaram | 1,74,534 | 40.32 | −15.55 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 79,604 | 18.39 | 5.12 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,32,869 | 64.96 | −5.91 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,77,947 | | 13.65 |
| | AIADMK gain from DMK | AIADMK gain from DMK | Swing | 2.84 | |

### General Elections 1971

1971 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DMK | E. R. Krishnan | 230,736 | 55.87 | −1.19 |
| | INC | M. P. Subramanyam | 1,75,940 | 42.60 | 2.06 |
| | ABJS | K. N. Lakshmanan | 3,944 | 0.96 | |
| | Independent | T. V. Anganna Chettiar | 2,339 | 0.57 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 54,796 | 13.27 | −3.25 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,12,959 | 70.87 | −4.73 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,96,531 | | 14.64 |
| | DMK hold | DMK hold | Swing | -1.19 | |

### General Elections 1967

1967 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DMK | K. Rajaram | 219,380 | 57.07 | 11.65 |
| | INC | R. Ramakrishnan | 1,55,871 | 40.55 | −8.79 |
| | ABJS | R. S. Rao | 9,168 | 2.38 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 63,509 | 16.52 | 12.59 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,84,419 | 75.61 | 5.99 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,20,373 | | 18.15 |
| | DMK gain from INC | DMK gain from INC | Swing | 7.73 | |

### General Elections 1962

1962 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | INC | S. V. Ramaswamy | 147,525 | 49.34 | 2.16 |
| | DMK | K. Rajagopal | 1,35,787 | 45.42 | |
| | Independent | R. K. Periasamy | 5,605 | 1.87 | |
| | Independent | T. S. Periasami | 5,493 | 1.84 | |
| | ABJS | J. Srinivasan | 4,581 | 1.53 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 11,738 | 3.93 | −26.25 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,98,991 | 69.62 | 24.60 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,40,434 | | 9.63 |
| | INC hold | INC hold | Swing | 2.16 | |

### General Elections 1957

1957 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | INC | S. V. Ramaswamy | 85,342 | 47.18 | 2.74 |
| | Independent | S. K. Babie Kandasami | 30,764 | 17.01 | |
| | Independent | A. Ganesasankaran | 29,529 | 16.32 | |
| | Independent | B. V. Govindaraj | 26,878 | 14.86 | |
| | Independent | Manicka Mudaliar | 8,370 | 4.63 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 54,578 | 30.17 | 24.84 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,80,883 | 45.02 | −10.59 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,01,741 | | 9.64 |
| | INC hold | INC hold | Swing | 2.74 | |

### General Elections 1951

1951–52 Indian general election: Salem :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | INC | S. V. Ramaswamy | 90,570 | 44.44 | 44.44 |
| | Independent | Rao Sahaib S. Durai samy Pillai | 79,705 | 39.11 | |
| | Independent | Rangaiah | 33,517 | 16.45 | |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 10,865 | 5.33 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,03,792 | 55.62 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,66,410 | | 0.00 |
| | INC win (new seat) | INC win (new seat) | INC win (new seat) | INC win (new seat) | INC win (new seat) |