Tamil Nadu, one of the three Opposition-ruled states going to polls in this round of assembly elections along with Bengal and Kerala, is expecting to see a tough contest between the ruling DMK of Chief Minister MK Stalin and the opposition AIADMK led by E Palaniswami. The contest, though, is expected to be triangular, with the TVK of actor-politician Vijay hoping to gain a chunk of votes and become the kingmaker.
Poll Date in Tamil Nadu
Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu will be held in a single phase on April 23, the Election Commission said today while announcing the poll dates for four states including West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Counting Of Votes In Tamil Nadu
The counting of votes will be held on May 4.
Duration of the 16th Assembly in Tamil Nadu
The 16th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which was constituted on May 3, 2021, following the 2021 elections, is scheduled to conclude its term in May 2026.
2021 TN Assembly Election Results
The 2021 assembly election in Tamil Nadu saw the DMK in a triumphant return to power, ending a decade-long rule by the AIADMK. While DMK's ally Congress was also in fray, they could win on 18 of the state's 234 assembly seats. The DMK won 159 seats.
The opposition NDA won just 75 seats. The AIADMK won 66 seats, the PMK 5 and the BJP just four seats.
TN Assembly Election 2026
This year's election comes amid a huge north-south divide - manifest in a language row - the tussle with the Centre over medical entrance exam NEET and concern about voter roll revision conducted by the Election Commission. But these are issues that the ruling DMK hopes will go in its favour and give it a second straight term despite the anti-incumbency and lack of jobs.
The AIADMK, still weakened by its internal rivalries and challenge from newcomers like actor Vijay's TVK and the new outfit promised by Sasikala, is still hoping to lead the race.
The party though is still weighed down by ally BJP. The two parties had got together despite the AIADMK calling off the alliance earlie, declaring the BJP to be a liability.
The party, which had lost all 34 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, is banking on the minute difference in voting percentages between it and the DMK in the last assembly election.
After calculating the differences, Palaniswami had said that the AIADMK alliance will win in 210 seats and form government with its own majority.
Many interpreted it as a ruse to say "no" to a coalition government -- a point the DMK has also been stern about, dashing Congress hopes amid the seat sharing talks.
The New Entrants
The most interesting angle in this election is the entry of Vijay's TVK, which, flying solo, is contesting on all 234 seats in hopes to establish itself as a serious contender and break the binary politics of the state.
The party is also hoping to gain a 30 per cent vote share, banking heavily on the strong fan base of the actor, particularly among young people and women.
Many are expecting the TVK to turn out king-maker, though the AIADMK has already ruled out an alliance with it.
Vijay has staunchly ruled out an alliance with the BJP, citing ideological reasons.
