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The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Saturday announced its candidates for 164 constituencies, with 60 new faces being fielded in the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Chief Minister MK Stalin is contesting again from the Kolathur constituency, while Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is fielded from the Chepauk constituency again. Though there was speculation that DMK MP M Kanimozhi wanted to contest in the assembly elections, she doesn’t feature on the list.
Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Pannerselvam who recently joined the DMK is contesting from Bodinayakkanur constituency, DMK’s strongman in the western region of Tamil Nadu V Senthil Balaji is being shifted to Coimbatore South from the Karur constituency.
Three sitting ministers, Minister for Dairy Development Mano Thangaraj, Minister for Human Resources and Management Kayalvizhi Selvaraj and Minister for Handlooms and Textiles R Gandhi have been dropped from the list.
Mano Thangaraj’s Padmanabapuram constituency in Kanniyakumari district has been allocated to CPM and Dr Indirani is contesting from Dharapuram constituency held by Kayalvizhi. Instead of Gandhi, his son Vinodh Gandhi has been given a seat to contest.
According to Chief Minister MK Stalin, smaller parties that have been allocated 11 seats will also contest under the DMK’s rising sun symbol.
Out of the 164 candidates, 18 seats have been allocated to women. Among the candidates, there are 125 graduates, 29 lawyers, 17 engineers, 15 doctors, 7 PhD scholars.
The DMK has also decided to field its candidate in Edappadi and Perambur constituency where AIADMK Chief and Opposition party leader Edappadi K Palanisamy is contesting from.
DMK’s Chennai North district secretary and sitting MLA RD Sekar has been fielded against Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Chief Vijay who is likely to contest from Perambur constituency.
Tamil Nadu is expected to witness a four corner contest in the upcoming assembly elections between DMK’s Secular Progressive Alliance, AIADMK led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Vijay’s TVK and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK).
The DMK has also renominated its known faces in the fray with Minister PTR Palanivel Thiyagarajan contesting from Madurai Central, Thangam Thennarasu from Tiruchuli, Anbil Mahesh from Thiruvembur, KN Nehru from on Trichy West, PK Sekar Babu from Chennai’s Harbour constituency, EV Velu from Tiruvanamalai, TRB Raaja from Mannargudi, Karthik Mohan from Villivakkam and KS Masthan from Gingee constituency.
According to the agreement, the Congress will field candidates in key constituencies such as Ponneri (SC), Sriperumbudur (SC), Sholingur, Udhagamandalam, Erode East, Cuddalore, Karaikudi, Sivakasi, Nanguneri, Velachery, Krishnagiri, and Sankarankovil, among others.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) have five seats each. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has been allotted eight seats while the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) has secured 4 seats and 10 seats respectively.
Smaller allies including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK) have been allotted two seats each, while several others will contest one seat apiece.
The CPI will contest in Thali, Thiruthuraipoondi (SC), Srivilliputhur (SC), Tiruppur North, and Bhavanisagar (SC), while the CPI(M) has been assigned Keezhvelur (SC), Gandharvakottai (SC), Padmanabhapuram, Palani, and Tiruvottiyur. The VCK’s share includes constituencies such as Kattumannarkoil (SC), Cheyyur (SC), Tiruporur, and Tindivanam (SC), among others.
The MDMK will be contesting from Modakkurichi, Madurai South, Kadayanallur, and Sirkazhi (SC), with the latter to be fought under its own symbol. The DMDK’s allocation spans 10 constituencies including Virudhachalam, Dharmapuri, Salem West, Pallavaram, and Tiruttani.
Among the smaller parties, the IUML will contest Papanasam and Vaniyambadi, while KMDK will field candidates in Tiruchengode and Pollachi. The Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, Mukkulathor Pulipadai, Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi, Social Democratic Party of India, and Tamilar Desam Katchi have been allotted one seat each.