From Stalin to Vijay, the leading candidates in Tamil Nadu assembly elections

New Delhi: Campaigning for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections has ended ahead of single-phase polling for all 234 assembly constituencies on Thursday.The election is widely expected to be a direct contest between the two parties DMKLeads the ruling Secular Progressive Alliance and the National Democratic Alliance, which Artificial Intelligence ADMK is the largest electorate in the state. Of the two national parties, the Congress is aligned with the DMK; bjp Allied with DMK’s main rival AIADMK.Superstar Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is also in the fray and is likely to attract votes from the youth.

More than 4,000 candidates are in the running, including some big names.Counting is scheduled for May 4.

Main candidates:

Stalin and Udayanidhi Stalin (DMK): The chief minister and his deputy chief minister’s sons are from Kolathur and Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni respectively. Stalin is a multi-term MP who has represented Kolathur since 2011, while Udayanidhi aims to retain Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, the candidate who won the 2021 polls, to represent the DMK.Vijay (TVK): The actor-politician leads TVK from the front and is contesting from Tiruchirappalli East and Perampur constituencies. The party was established in February 2024 and has fielded candidates in all 234 seats.Edappadi K. Palaniswami (AIADMK): The AIADMK general secretary and NDA chief minister is campaigning from his hometown Edappadi. The former chief minister is seeking a fourth consecutive term as Edappadi, a post he has held since 2011.O Panneerselvam (DMK): A loyal fan of former chief minister and AIADMK stalwart J. Jayalalithaa, Panneerselvam made a shocking move before the polls and switched to the DMK. The Stalin-led party fielded the former chief minister from its stronghold Bodinayakanur, where he had won three consecutive elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021 with the AIADMK.Tamilisai Sandra Rajan (BJP): Senior BJP leader and former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan is contesting from Mylapur constituency. She is the former president of the party’s Tamil Nadu unit and had earlier served as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.Nainal Nagendran (BJP): The state unit chief of the BJP is contesting from Sattur, who is contesting from the Tirunelveli constituency which he won in the 2021 elections.