Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: Stalin eyes fourth win, Vijay steps in as ch ...
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M. K. Stalinand Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay filed their nominations on Monday for the upcoming Assembly elections. Stalin filed his nomination from the Kolathur Assembly constituency in Chennai, a seat he has held since 2011 after winning the 2011, 2016 and 2021 elections. After submitting his papers, he expressed confidence of securing a fourth consecutive victory from the constituency.Soon after filing his nomination, Stalin held a brief roadshow, greeting people and seeking their support. He also released a book showing his achievements and development work in Kolathur. “Our victory will be very bright. Compared to the last three times, this time I’m witnessing a huge support. This is the United Progressive Alliance. Tamil Nadu is fighting against Delhi. This time the victory is going to be very big,” Stalin told ANI.
Vijay files nominations
Meanwhile, Vijay filed his nomination from the Perambur and Trichy East constituencies. A day earlier, he released the manifesto of his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, indicating and detiling key promises.
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Addressing a press conference in Chennai, Vijay said his focus is on building a drug-free and self-reliant Tamil Nadu. He said “anti-drug protection zones” will be set up in all schools and colleges across the state. “Our primary goal is to create a drug-free Tamil Nadu,” he asserted.
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He also assured that all government examinations would be conducted on time without delays. In addition, Vijay announced a monthly assistance of Rs 4,000 for graduates and Rs 2,000 for diploma holders.
In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections held during the COVID-19 pandemic, the DMK led by Stalin returned to power after a decade in opposition. The party won 133 seats on its own, while the alliance secured 159 out of 234 seats in the Assembly.
Election schedule and alliance details
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23 across all 234 constituencies, with counting scheduled for May 4. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will contest 164 seats, while 70 seats have been allocated to its alliance partners. These include the Indian National Congress with 28 seats, the Communist Party of India with 5 seats, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) with 5 seats, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi with 8 seats, and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam with 4 seats.
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