Tamil Nadu assembly elections: From MK Stalin to EPS and Vijay; key candidates to watch on May 4 | India News
The political battle in Tamil Nadu will enter its decisive phase with the counting of votes on Monday, as the focus is on whether the DMK can retain its grip on power. AIADMK A strong return mount, or TVK manages to change the traditional equation of state.However, beyond individual contests, this election is being closely tracked for how new political entrants and coalition dynamics reshape traditional voting patterns. From the Chief Minister MK Stalin Defending his place to actor-politicians Thalapathi Vijay With his electoral debut, and AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palanisamy struggling to regain relevance, the 2026 election was fraught with high-profile battles across constituencies.Here are the main candidates MK Stalin: The chief minister is contesting from Kolathur, facing a closely watched contest with AIADMK’s Santhana Krishnan. Kolathur has remained a DMK stronghold since 2011, when Stalin first won from the seat.He retained it in both the 2016 and 2021 assembly elections. In 2021, he won against Aadhi Rajaram of AIADMK by a huge margin of around 1,00,000 votes.Udayanidhi Stalin: MK Stalin’s son and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udayanidhi Stalin is contesting from AIADMK’s Aadhi Rajaram from Chepauk-Thiruvalikeni. In 2021, he won the seat with 68.92% votes against PMK’s Kasali.In the run-up to the assembly elections, Udayanidhi evolved from a campaign face to a chief strategist, emerging as the DMK’s youth campaign leader. His performance is being watched closely as a measure of both his leadership and the team’s future direction.Thalapathy Victory: The actor-politician has made his electoral debut and is seen as the biggest disruptor in the race. He is contesting from Tiruchirappalli East and Perambu. His party, launched in February 2024, fielded candidates in all 234 constituencies.Edappadi K Palanisamy: The AIADMK leader is contesting from Edappadi in Salem district. He worked to consolidate the party by bringing back former rivals including TTV Dhinakaran.This time, he also forged a larger alliance with the BJP and the PMK, aiming to capitalize on the opposition to power against the DMK and regain lost ground.And Panneerselvam: Once a close confidant of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, he has allied with the DMK ahead of the elections. The ruling party has fielded him from Bodinayakkanur, a constituency he has represented for multiple terms.Naynar Nagendran: BJP state unit chief contesting from Sattur. In 2021, he won from Tirunelveli Assembly constituency.
