Staying out of the electoral fray himself, Dhinakaran has fielded a mix of veterans, including two former Ministers and three among the 18 MLAs disqualified during the 2017 political war between OPS and EPS over capturing power. The move is seen as an attempt to prioritise familiarity and loyalty over new entrants.

Former Ministers C Shanmugavelu (Madathukulam) and G Senthamizhan (Saidapet), both from the 2011 Jayalalithaa Cabinet, figure in the list. Tickets have also been allotted to former MLAs K Kathirkamu (Theni), R Sundararaj (Ottapidaram), and TA Elumalai (Poonamallee), who remained with Dhinakaran after their disqualification.

However, the party's focus remains on the Delta and southern regions, where it retains organisational strength and support base.

AMMK is also contesting three reserved constituencies — Periyakulam, Ottapidaram and Poonamallee — as part of the NDA’s outreach.

With Dhinakaran opting to concentrate on statewide campaigning, the onus is now on these candidates to reassert the party’s relevance in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.

Meanwhile, Dhinakaran released the party's election manifesto, which focused on demands for a caste survey, Tamil in courts, and the Supreme Court branch in Tamil Nadu, among others.