No seats for DMK regulars: Ponmudi, R. Gandhi, Mano Thangaraj, and Kayalvizhi Selvaraj

DMK denies assembly seats to key leaders, opting instead to field their sons in the upcoming 2026 elections.

Former Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi, who resigned from the Cabinet last year, Handloom and Textiles Minister R. Gandhi, Dairy Development Minister Mano Thangaraj, and Human Resources Management Minister Kayalvizhi Selvaraj have been denied seats by the ruling DMK for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The party released its list of 164 candidates on Saturday (March 28, 2026).

Instead, Mr. Ponmudi’s son Gowtham Sigamani has been fielded in Tirukoilur Assembly constituency, which elected Mr. Ponmondi in the 2021 elections. Vinod Gandhi, the son of Mr. Gandhi, is contesting from the Ranipet constituency.

In April 2025, Mr. Ponmudy ran into trouble after the Madras High Court directed its Registry to take up a suo motu writ petition with respect to a derogatory speech by him against Saivites, Vaishnavites, and women. He resigned on April 27, 2025.