TN polls set as DMK fields Stalin and new faces across 164
The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has unveiled its full slate of candidates for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, contesting a total of 164 constituencies. Party leader M.K. Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi have been renominated to lead their respective parties in Kolathur and Salem districts this time around. The party is strategically allocating over one-third of its seats across fresh faces while maintaining key leadership positions for experienced veterans like Panneerselvam, OPS, Senthil Balaji, and MK Stalin himself as the campaign prepares ahead
Key Points
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1The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has announced its full list of candidates for the upcoming April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
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2MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi have been renominated to contest from Kolathur and Chepauk-Triplicane respectively, while Panneerselvam is also included in this batch announcement. The DMK has introduced over a third of its candidates as new faces for the polls.
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3The election list comprises 164 seats contested by direct party contests with more than six women among them.
Developments
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) unveiled its Tamil Nadu Assembly election list featuring 60 new candidates, including Chief Minister MK Stalin and Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin seeking re-election. The party plans to contest directly against the AIADMK in most seats while former minister V Senthil Balaji contests from Coimbatore South despite a recent money laundering case involving him earlier this year (April 2025).
The DMK announced a list of 164 candidates on Saturday (March 28, 2026) to contest the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Prominent figures including Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and former CM O.Panneerselvam are among those fielded for specific constituencies such as Kolathur and Bodinayakanur respectively.
The DMK has allocated over one-third of its 164 assembly constituency candidates in Chennai as fresh faces while retaining most incumbent ministers despite some resignations or illnesses for three specific posts, with the majority being graduates including doctors and engineers; additionally, alliance parties DMDK are contesting Virudhachalam under Premallatha Vijayakant's leadership alongside her son.