Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2026: AIADMK's Women Push In 2nd Poll Candidates' List As EPS Eyes Comeback The AIADMK has released its second list of candidates for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, signaling a strategic shift toward balancing experienced legislators with younger, less-established figures while increasing the number of women in the contest. Party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, known as EPS, is aiming to revive the party’s fortunes after three consecutive electoral losses since the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. The list includes 127 candidates, with 29 sitting MLAs, 26 former legislators, and five ex-MPs, reflecting an effort to blend continuity with new energy. Women’s representation has also seen a notable boost, with 17 female candidates listed so far. However, the reshuffle has excluded several prominent figures, including sitting MLAs like Chitra from Yercaud, Senthilkumar from Kallakurichi, and former ministers such as Sevoor Ramachandran and Vaigai Selvan KV Ramalingam. These exclusions suggest the leadership is prioritizing fresh faces and new strategies. Among the new entrants are S Syed Sultan Samsuddin, IT wing secretary from Palayamkottai; Mangulam Mahendran, legal wing member; Dr S Dhivya from Krishnarayapuram; and Maragatham Vettrivel from Pappirettipatti. The party’s core team emphasized that EPS has selected a “fine mix of experience, freshers, and more women,” highlighting the strategic recalibration ahead of the polls. Key contests include Gobichettipalayam, where VB Prabhu faces expelled AIADMK veteran KA Sengottaiyan, now aligned with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).#aiadmk #j_jayalalithaa #tamil_nadu #tvk #edappadi_k_palaniswami
Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls 2026: AIADMK Announces Second Candidate List The AIADMK party, led by general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, has released its second list of candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections scheduled for April 23. The list includes 127 names, bringing the total number of nominees to 150 when combined with the initial 23 names announced earlier. The party has largely retained its sitting legislators, signaling a strategy focused on continuity and leveraging the experience of incumbents in the electoral process. Most of the sitting members of the legislative assembly have been renominated, with 46 current MLAs included in the second list. This move underscores the party’s reliance on established figures to consolidate its vote base and maintain organizational strength ahead of the polls. However, several prominent figures were excluded from the list. Former Speaker P Dhanapal, along with former ministers Sevoor S Ramachandran and M Paranjothi, were not included, while senior functionary S Semmalai chose not to contest. The second list also features 16 women candidates, though minority representation remains limited, with only one Muslim candidate being fielded for the Palayamkottai constituency. Notable additions include Martin’s wife, Leema Rose, who has been nominated for the Lalgudi constituency. She recently left the IJK party and joined the AIADMK, marking a significant shift in her political alignment. The party leadership has yet to announce candidates for 15 constituencies in Chennai, excluding Royapuram. Sources suggest that senior functionaries and district secretaries are likely to be deployed in these areas.#aiadmk #tamil_nadu #edappadi_k_palaniswami #lalgudi #palayamkottai
AIADMK-led alliance will win 210 seats in Tamil Nadu Assembly election, says Palaniswami Launching his election campaign in Mylapore, AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami declared that the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would secure 210 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and form the government with an absolute majority. Speaking at a rally in the constituency allotted to the BJP, he emphasized the alliance’s strength and criticized the DMK-led opposition for failing to deliver on promises. Palaniswami, who appeared alongside BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan, noted that the BJP had previously won the constituency in 2001 as part of an alliance with the DMK. He highlighted the AIADMK’s proactive approach, stating that the party had finalized seat allocations and candidate lists ahead of the polls. “We invited alliance partners to our office, announced seat-sharing arrangements, and released our manifesto. Our candidates’ list is the first to be made public,” he said, adding that remaining candidates would be announced shortly. He accused the DMK of struggling to form a cohesive alliance, claiming that its partners faced internal conflicts and were treated as subordinates. “The DMK alliance parties have been fighting for constituencies, while our alliance leaders operate independently,” Palaniswami stated. Critiquing the DMK government’s record, he alleged that the party had failed to address critical issues over the past five years. “The DMK is a dynastic party that rebranded the AIADMK’s schemes,” he said, pointing to unfinished projects like the storm-water drain initiative. Under the AIADMK, 2,400 km of drainage had been completed, but the DMK government had left phases 3 and 4 incomplete.#aiadmk #dmk #tamil_nadu #national_democratic_alliance #edappadi_k_palaniswami
