The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has set its sights on a major comeback in the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, aiming to win 210 seats and form the government with an absolute majority. The party’s general secretary and former Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, launched the campaign from Mylai Mangollai in Chennai, signalling a direct challenge to the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the state capital.

In the recently concluded seat allocation among the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, AIADMK ceded only three of Chennai’s 16 assembly seats, underlining its determination to contest the city, widely regarded as a DMK stronghold. The party plans to field candidates in 13 constituencies, including high-profile battles against Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Kolanthur and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin in Chepauk.

To strengthen its prospects in Chennai, AIADMK has deployed three former ministers: D. Jayakumar for Royapuram, Benjamin for Maduravoyal, and Gokula Indhira for Anna Nagar. Palaniswami himself will once again contest from Edappadi in Salem district, while several former ministers, sitting MLAs, and ex-legislators have been nominated for other constituencies.

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Within the NDA in Tamil Nadu, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest 27 seats, and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) will field candidates in 18 constituencies. Other allies, including AMMK, TMC (M), and smaller regional parties, have also been allocated seats as part of the alliance arrangement.

Meanwhile, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance has finalised its seat-sharing, with the Indian National Congress contesting 28 seats, DMDK 10, VCK eight, Left parties five each, and MDMK four. Smaller allies are contesting under the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol, reinforcing the party’s central role in the alliance.

With Chennai constituencies expected to be a key battleground, the upcoming polls are shaping up to be a close contest between AIADMK and DMK, with both parties fielding high-profile candidates and focusing on mobilising urban voters in the state capital.

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