CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has announced the final phase of his statewide “Protect the People; Retrieve Tamil Nadu” campaign, from April 2 to April 19, as he intensifies preparations for the April 23 Assembly elections.

The 18-day tour marks the party’s election push to consolidate support for candidates of the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The campaign will begin with a focus on northern and central districts from April 2 to April 6, covering Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram, before moving to Puducherry and Cuddalore. After visits to Perambalur and Salem, Palaniswami is scheduled to hold an intensive two-day campaign in Chennai on April 8 and 9, targeting multiple constituencies in the capital city.

From April 10 to April 14, the campaign will shift to the Delta and southern districts, including Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Tiruchy, Dindigul, Theni and Madurai.

The final leg, from April 15 to April 19, will focus on the Kongu belt, considered an AIADMK stronghold, covering Karur, Tirupur, Coimbatore, Erode, Namakkal and Salem. The tour is set to conclude with major events in the Salem district.

The announcement comes after the AIADMK finalised its seat-sharing arrangements within the NDA, allocating 27 seats to the BJP, 18 to the PMK and 11 to the AMMK.

Palaniswami expressed confidence that the alliance would secure a decisive mandate, setting a target of 210 seats in the upcoming elections.