4,023 Candidates in Fray for Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections
The contest for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election 2026 is set, with a total of 4,023 candidates in the fray after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended on Thursday.
The nomination process, which began on March 30, witnessed a strong response, with 7,599 nomination papers filed over four days. However, during scrutiny, around 2,460 applications were rejected due to incomplete or invalid documents, bringing down the final number of contestants.
Constituency-wise Highlights
Some constituencies are seeing intense competition this time:
- Karur tops the list with 79 candidates
- Perambur follows with 47 candidates
- Kolathur has 35 candidates
- Paramathi-Velur has 31 candidates
On the other hand, a few constituencies have fewer candidates:
- Ambasamudram has just 5 candidates
- Udhagamandalam, Gudalur, and Coonoor have 6 candidates each
Key Leaders in the Race
Several prominent political figures are contesting in this election, including:
- M. K. Stalin (Kolathur)
- Edappadi K. Palaniswami (Edappadi)
- Joseph Vijay
- Seeman
- Udhayanidhi Stalin
- Premalatha Vijayakanth
Senior ministers such as Duraimurugan, K. N. Nehru, E. V. Velu, and I. Periyasamy are also part of the contest.
Comparison with Previous Election
In the 2021 Assembly elections, there were 7,255 nominations filed, with 3,998 candidates eventually contesting. This year has seen a slight increase in the number of candidates.
Election Arrangements
With the candidate list now finalised, the Election Commission of India has stepped up preparations. A total of:
- 176 general and police observers
- 150 expenditure observers
have been deployed across the state to ensure smooth conduct of the elections. Officials will closely monitor campaign spending and activities to maintain a free and fair voting process.
Key Dates
- Polling Date: April 23
- Counting of Votes: May 4
The stage is now set for a closely watched election across Tamil Nadu, with a mix of seasoned leaders and new faces gearing up for the battle.
