The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Saturday released its list of 164 candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, renominating key leaders and welcoming new faces from recently merged parties. The announcement sets the stage for the state elections scheduled in a single phase on April 23, with counting to take place on May 4.

Chief Minister M. K. Stalin will seek re-election from Kolathur, while his son and deputy, Udhayanidhi Stalin, will contest again from Chepauk-Triplicane, continuing the party’s focus on retaining its urban strongholds. Most incumbent ministers, MLAs, and senior party leaders have been renominated, reflecting DMK’s strategy of continuity and stability ahead of the polls.

The party has also welcomed new entrants. Expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam, who recently joined DMK, will contest from Bodinayakkanur, while former minister V. Senthil Balaji has been fielded from Coimbatore South. Two of Panneerselvam’s colleagues, Paul Manoj Pandian and R. Vaithilingam, who had previously joined the DMK, have also been given tickets, signaling an expansion of the party’s leadership base.

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Several senior ministers have been retained to contest from their existing constituencies. These include Durai Murugan, K. N. Nehru, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Thangam Thennarasu, M. A. Subramanian, and E. V. Velu. The move is seen as an effort to balance experienced leadership with new entrants while maintaining voter confidence across established DMK territories.

The DMK-led alliance has allocated seats for allied parties, including Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), which will contest 10 seats, and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), contesting eight seats. The announcement follows broader preparations for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, which will see over 5.69 crore voters registered to cast their votes. The entire election process is expected to conclude by May 6.

With the final list of candidates now public, political observers note that the DMK has positioned itself to leverage its incumbency advantage, urban strongholds, and alliance partners to retain power in the southern state. The upcoming polls are widely seen as a test of both the party’s governance record and its capacity to integrate new leaders successfully.

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