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
