Tamil Nadu Assembly election: AIADMK’s first list of candidates out, no major surprises
The Hindu
AIADMK reveals its first candidate list for Tamil Nadu Assembly election, featuring familiar names and few surprises.
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), on Wednesday (March 25, 2026), announced its first list of 23 candidates, which included party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and a host of former Ministers.
A total of 16 former Ministers, also members of the outgoing Assembly, were re-nominated, and there were hardly any surprises in the list. Barring three candidates, all others have been nominated from their old constituencies. Virudhunagar (West)’s district secretary K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji would return to contest from Sivakasi and Villupuram district secretary C.Ve. Shanmugam would attempt to enter the Assembly from Mailam. In the 2021 Assembly polls, they lost in Rajapalayam and Villupuram respectively. Agri S.S. Krishnamurthy, who won in Polur in 2021, would contest from Kalasapakkam this time.
The party’s deputy general secretaries K.P. Munusamy and Natham R. Viswanathan have been fielded again from their respective constituencies: Veppannahalli and Natham. The renominated candidates included treasurer Dindigul C. Sreenivasan from Dindigul; headquarters secretary S.P. Velumani from Thondamuthur; and organisation secretaries P. Thangamani, D. Jayakumar, C.Ve. Shanmugam, Sellur K. Raju, K.P. Anbalagan, R. Kamaraj, and O.S. Manian, from Kumarapalayam, Royapuram, Mailam, Madurai (West), Palacode, Nannilam, and Vedaranyam respectively.
Former Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar will try his luck again in Viralimalai, while Kadambur C. Raju, R.B. Udhayakumar, P. Benjamin, and V.V. Rajan Chellappa will once again seek to re-enter the House from Kovilpatti, Thirumangalam, Maduravoyal, and Thirupparankundram respectively.
The three other former Ministers – K.C. Karupannan, K.C. Veeramani, and M.R. Vijayabhaskar – will contest from Bhavani, Jolarpet, and Karur, while former government whip in the Assembly, S. Rajendran, has been re-nominated in Ariyalur. Despite losing the previous election from their respective constituencies, Mr. Jayakumar, Mr. Benjamin, Mr. Veeramani, and Mr. Rajendran have been fielded there again.
Lok Sabha passes Finance Bill 2026 with amendments, completing its budgetary approval before Rajya Sabha's consideration.
Karnataka government to consult legal experts on pursuing action against Adani Group's ACC Ltd. over ₹850 crore in disputed dues.
The FCRA amendment bill aims to create an authority for managing NGO assets after license loss, addressing misuse of foreign funds.
Telangana Minister assures adequate petroleum stocks for three months, warns against illegal fuel carrying amid panic buying rumors.
TMC calls for the removal of Bhabanipur returning officer, citing alleged ties to BJP and concerns over neutrality.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan condemns UDF's misogynistic attacks on CPI(M) legislator U. Prathibha, highlighting political degeneration.
Selected from 9,400 submissions across 37 countries, the 100 photographs on display traverse intimate and political terrains. In MRC Nagar, photographer Swastik Pal captures life in the Sundarbans, where severe climate change has brought humans and wildlife into closer contact. Shane Hynan’s Beneath Beofhod reflects on Ireland’s boglands as sites of memory and restoration, while Mateo Trevisan’s More than the Sun examines the impact of coal-driven industrialisation in the Western Balkans.
Hyderabad officials assure sufficient fuel supply for 60 days, warn against misinformation and illegal sales amid panic buying.
Telangana MP urges Centre to expedite ₹1,270 crore dues transfer from Andhra Pradesh for financial fairness and development.
A Karnataka man was detained with ₹62.5 lakh in cash during election checks on NH 544, claiming it was from a property sale.
Telangana Government issued 16 notifications to fill 31,798 vacancies, with 67,763 total recruitments since Congress took power.
Supreme Court directs Tarun Butolia's family to seek safety assessment from Delhi Police after fatal Uttam Nagar clash.
CM Stalin asserts unity in the DMK-led alliance, dismissing division attempts and emphasizing collaborative efforts for the upcoming elections.