CHENNAI: Ending weeks of speculations and suspense, the Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election 2026.
According to the poll panel, voting in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 23, while counting of votes will take place on May 4.
This is a battle where incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin is hoping to retain power while his principal rival Edappadi K Palaniswami is hoping to lead his party, the AIADMK, back to Fort St George. Equally importantly – or perhaps more importantly – it is a litmus test for actor-politician Vijay, whose nascent party, the TVK, is taking on the two Dravidian parties.
It would also test another widely held notion: Tamil Nadu politics’ umbilical link with Tamil cinema is oft-repeated, especially after iconic film personalities like MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa ruling the State as chief ministers. Though there have been film stars who entered politics, Vijay’s political leap is the first in several decades that a leading silver screen hero has entered active politics. This election, hence, will put to test that a hero can waltz into Tamil politics and grab power.
The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, will seek a second consecutive term in office. In the current Assembly, the DMK holds 133 seats, followed by the principal opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) with 66. The Congress has 18 members, while other parties including the PMK, VCK, CPM, CPI, and BJP hold the remaining seats.
The DMK has retained its alliance with the Congress, Left parties, VCK, and several other smaller parties, and have also brought in DMDK.
On the other hand, the AIADMK is working to consolidate opposition forces, while the BJP is aiming to expand its political presence in the State.
With the announcement of the schedule, political parties are expected to intensify campaigning across the State in the coming weeks.