I do not see the Assembly election in Tamil Nadu as a close contest, says CM Stalin

CM Stalin asserts the Tamil Nadu Assembly election won't be close, highlighting DMK's achievements and strong alliance against AIADMK.

Disagreeing with suggestions that the Tamil Nadu Assembly election would turn out to be a “close contest”, DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Sunday (April 5, 2026) that a multi-cornered contest would, in fact, benefit the DMK.

Taking a short break from his intense campaign schedule in Virudhunagar district, Mr. Stalin, in an exclusive interview to The Hindu, made it clear that the contest was essentially between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led National Democratic Alliance.

“Other parties lack the organisational strength and infrastructure to challenge us. A multi-cornered contest will, in fact, benefit the DMK,” he said.

“Our achievements and electoral promises have captured the imagination of the people. The outcome will disprove the notion that the DMK cannot win two consecutive elections,” he added.

When specifically asked what was the need for the DMK to expand its alliance and if it was under compulsion to rope in the DMDK and several smaller parties, he said an alliance, per se, was the coming-together of parties “that share our views”. The number of such parties has increased. “There is no compulsion, but there is a responsibility to accommodate and work with them,” he said.

Mr. Stalin underlined that his party had maintained an “ideology-based alliance since 2019 [the front was formed during the R.K. Nagar by-election in late 2017].”