As the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026 draw closer, all the major alliances have entered the final phase of their campaigns. With all eyes set on polling day on April 23, 2026, the final verdict, scheduled for May 4, 2026, will decide the fate of the state. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) secured victory, with DMK president M. K. Stalin becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
The opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led alliance had a close contest with its rival, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), with the former emerging victorious in 66 seats. The DMK won the 2021 election with 166 seats out of a total of 234.
With 5,67,07,380 electors set to vote following the Special Intensive Revision, Tamil Nadu is expected to witness a tough battle between the ruling DMK, the opposition AIADMK, and the newly formed Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor-turned-politician Vijay. Voters will elect all 234 members to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, and here are some of the key constituencies in the upcoming election.
The Kolathur Assembly constituency has been a DMK stronghold since 2011. The incumbent Chief Minister, M. K. Stalin, has represented the constituency, winning the seat in the 2011, 2016, and 2021 Assembly elections. Stalin is also the president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the successor of veteran politician M. Karunanidhi.
The 2021 Assembly election saw a contest between Stalin and the AIADMK’s Aadhi Rajaram, with the DMK winning by a margin of more than 100,000 votes. The 2026 Assembly election is expected to witness a close contest between Stalin and Santhana Krishnan from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
What Kolathur is to M. K. Stalin, constituency number 86, Edappadi, is to his rival and AIADMK general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Palaniswami, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, has been a strong candidate from the Edappadi constituency.
He secured victory from Edappadi in the 2021 Assembly election with a vote margin of 93,802. Edappadi has been an AIADMK stronghold since 2011, with Palaniswami being the face of the constituency for over a decade.
In the upcoming elections, Palaniswami is expected to face strong competition from the DMK’s Kasi.
Trichy East and Perambur are two key constituencies for the newly formed Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), as party president Vijay will be contesting from both seats. Vijay’s entry into Tamil Nadu politics has been seen as a significant shift in the state’s political landscape, potentially giving tough competition to veteran parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
For the Trichy East seat, the actor will contest against the DMK’s Dr. Inigo Irudayaraj, who won the 2021 election with a vote margin of 53,977, and the AIADMK’s G. Rajasekharan.
In Perambur, Vijay will contest against the DMK’s incumbent leader R. D. Sekar and the AIADMK’s Elambai R. Tamilselvan.
The Chepauk–Thiruvallikeni constituency is part of the central Lok Sabha constituency and is represented by incumbent leader and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of M. K. Stalin.
In the upcoming Assembly election, the contest for the Chepauk–Thiruvallikeni seat will see the incumbent Udhayanidhi Stalin facing All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Adhirajaram and Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam’s D. Selvam.
In the 2021 Assembly election, Udhayanidhi Stalin secured victory with a margin of 69,355 votes against the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) candidate Kassali. The PMK is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The Mylapore Assembly constituency is represented by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Dha. Velu, who won the seat with a margin of 12,633 votes in the 2021 Assembly election. The constituency witnessed a tough contest between Velu and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s R. Nataraj.
Mylapore has been a stronghold of the AIADMK, founded by M. G. Ramachandran (MGR). The 2026 Assembly election will determine whether the DMK can retain the seat for another term or if the AIADMK will regain power in Mylapore, Chennai district, Tamil Nadu.
The Karaikudi Assembly constituency has witnessed multiple phases of leadership, with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Indian National Congress (INC) all taking turns in power.
Since 2016, the seat has been held by the INC under its alliance with the DMK. The Karaikudi constituency is currently represented by the INC’s S. Mangudi, who won the 2021 Assembly election against the BJP’s H. Raja with a margin of more than 20,000 votes.
In the 2026 Assembly election, Mangudi is set to contest against Dherpoki V. Pandi of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), contesting under the AIADMK alliance.
The Bodinayakkanur constituency has been an All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) stronghold, with incumbent leader O. Panneerselvam representing the seat since 2011. Panneerselvam has previously served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
In the upcoming election, Panneerselvam is set to contest against the AIADMK’s V. T. Narayanasamy and the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)’s S. Prakash Kumar.
The constituency was previously represented by former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, who contested her first election from here in 1989.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Vanathi Srinivasan currently represents the Coimbatore (South) Assembly constituency. She had a close contest in the 2021 Assembly election against the Secular Progressive Alliance’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) candidate Kamal Haasan.
In the upcoming election, Srinivasan will contest against the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s V. Senthil Balaji and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Amman K. Arjunan.
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