The N24 Seremban Jaya contest has become one of the most interesting battles to watch in the 2026 Negeri Sembilan state election.

With three Indian candidates representing different political parties, the race presents a unique scenario where ethnicity alone will not determine the outcome.

Instead, the ability to attract support across communities—especially Chinese, Malay and Indian voters—will be the key factor.

The three candidates are S. Mugunthan from Pakatan Harapan, Mahendran Ramasamy from Bersatu, and R. Thinalan from Barisan Nasional.

Although all three candidates are Indian, the winning formula in Seremban Jaya depends heavily on the constituency’s diverse voter composition.

The Chinese electorate is expected to play the most decisive role, as the community forms a significant voting bloc and has historically supported Pakatan Harapan, particularly DAP.

DAP’s Strong Electoral Record

Seremban Jaya has been a stronghold for DAP since the seat was created.

In the 2018 General Election, PH-DAP’s Gunasekaran Palasamy won the seat with 13,760 votes, defeating BN-Gerakan’s Choong Vee Hing with 3,253 votes, securing a majority of 10,507 votes.

In the 2023 Negeri Sembilan State Election, Gunasekaran strengthened DAP’s position by winning 17,080 votes, defeating Gerakan’s Lee Ban Fatt who received 4,377 votes. The majority increased to 12,703 votes.

These results show that DAP has built a strong support base, particularly among Chinese voters.

For S. Mugunthan, this means he is not starting from zero, but rather inheriting a seat with an established political structure, loyal grassroots machinery and a voter base that is already familiar with the party’s brand.

His task is to preserve that trust while also proving that he can connect with younger voters, urban professionals and residents who want practical solutions to everyday issues.

Another important point for S. Mugunthan is that he must not be seen merely as a continuation of the old formula.

In a constituency like Seremban Jaya, voters often look for a candidate who is visible, approachable and responsive to local concerns.

If he can project himself as a hardworking representative who understands housing, traffic, public amenities and cost-of-living pressures, he can strengthen DAP’s existing advantage and prevent any erosion of support.

Can Bersatu’s Mahendran Change the Equation?

Mahendran Ramasamy enters the contest as a new challenger representing Bersatu. His professional background in information technology, experience in change management and involvement in community activities give him a different profile compared with traditional political candidates.

His biggest challenge is expanding beyond the party’s traditional support base. To become competitive, Mahendran needs to convince urban voters—especially Chinese voters—that he represents a credible alternative focused on local issues such as economic opportunities, cost of living, infrastructure and community development.

Winning a significant portion of Chinese swing votes will be crucial. Even a moderate shift among Chinese voters could reduce DAP’s previous winning margin and make the contest more competitive.

BN’s Challenge Through MIC Candidate

R. Thinalan of Barisan Nasional faces the task of rebuilding BN’s support in a constituency where the coalition has struggled in recent elections.

While MIC traditionally has a presence among Indian voters, the Indian vote is likely to be divided between the three Indian candidates.

As an MIC candidate, Thinalan carries the responsibility of rebuilding confidence among Indian voters while also convincing voters from other communities that BN remains a relevant choice.

The challenge for MIC is that the Indian vote is no longer automatically aligned with any single party, and the presence of three Indian candidates means the community’s support is likely to be divided.

The Importance of Chinese, Malay and Indian Votes

The Chinese vote remains the biggest factor. If PH retains strong Chinese support similar to previous elections, DAP will continue to have a significant advantage.

However, if Bersatu succeeds in gaining support from Chinese voters while maintaining Malay support and attracting some Indian voters, the dynamics of the race could shift.

The Malay vote will also matter, particularly in determining the overall margin. Any increase in Malay support for Bersatu or BN could narrow the gap. Meanwhile, the Indian vote, although smaller in percentage compared with the Chinese electorate, could become a deciding factor because it is divided among three candidates.

Who Holds the Advantage?

Based on past election performance, Pakatan Harapan currently holds the advantage in N24 Seremban Jaya due to DAP’s strong electoral machinery, established grassroots network and historical support among Chinese voters.

For S. Mugunthan, the challenge is not only to defend that advantage but also to expand it by showing that he can be an effective, accessible and issue-driven candidate. If he can maintain DAP’s traditional support while appealing to voters who value stability and continuity, he will remain in a pole position.

However, the three-cornered contest creates new possibilities. The key question is whether Mahendran Ramasamy can transform the election from a traditional DAP stronghold into a competitive battle by attracting enough support from voters seeking a new alternative.

For R. Thinalan of Barisan Nasional (MIC), the challenge is to overcome the gap created by previous election performances while rebuilding BN’s presence in Seremban Jaya. Although BN starts behind compared with Pakatan Harapan’s strong electoral record, Thinalan could still play a significant role in shaping the outcome.

If he succeeds in presenting himself as a fresh and credible local representative rather than only a party candidate, he could reduce the margin between the leading contenders and influence the final result.

Ultimately, N24 Seremban Jaya will not be decided by which Indian candidate has the strongest ethnic appeal.

It will be decided by who can convince the largest number of voters—Chinese, Malay, Indian and others—that they are the best candidate to represent a diverse urban constituency.

This Opinion shared by Ramani Parkunan who writes and reflects about local politics and election campaign strategy.