Tamil Nadu assembly election 2026: DMK's full list of 164 candidates
The DMK has announced 164 candidates for the Tamil Nadu polls, fielding Chief Minister M.K. Stalin from Kolathur and allotting the remaining seats to allies
The incumbent Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is contesting in 164 seats in the upcoming Tamil Nadu state polls. While DMK has retained most of its senior leaders in its candidates list, it has also introduced 60 new faces.

Chief Minister MK Stalin and deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin will once again contest from their sitting seats, Kolathur and Chepauk, respectively.
Out of the total 234 constituencies in the state, the remaining 70 have been allotted to DMK's allies. This includes Congress with 28 seats, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) with 8 seats, the DMDK with 10 seats, the CPI(M) with 5 seats, and the CPI with 5 seats. While smaller regional allies have been given two to four seats each.
Stalin expressed confidence his party and branded each of its candidate as “victory candidate”.
Here is a list of DMK candidates in 2026 Tamil Nadu state polls-
- T.M. Anbarasan - Alandur
- Siva V. Meyyanathan - Alangudi
- Paul Manoj Pandian - Alangulam
- Dr. A.P. Poornima - Ambattur
- A.C. Vilvanathan - Ambur
- A.P. Nandakumar - Anaikattu
- A. Maharajan - Andipatti
- N. Chitrarasu - Anna Nagar
- M. Sivabalan - Anthiyur
- Mahalakshmi Govarthanan - Arani
- Monjanour R. Elango - Aravakurichi
- J.L. Eswarappan - Arcot
- Latha Balu - Ariyalur
- K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran - Aruppukkottai
- I. Periyasamy - Athoor
- S.M. Nasar - Avadi
- V. Kokila Mani - Avanashi
- D. Mathiyazhagan - Bargur
- K.A. Chandrasekar - Bhavani
- Durai K. Saravanan - Bhuvanagiri
- O. Panneerselvam - Bodinayakkanur
- M.K.D. Karthik Dhandapani - Chengalpattu
- M.P. Giri - Chengam
- Udhayanidhi Stalin - Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni
- O. Jothi - Cheyyar
- D. Senthamizh Selvan - Coimbatore North
- V. Senthilbalaji - Coimbatore South
- K.M. Raju - Coonoor
- N. Ramakrishnan - Cumbum
- T. Indirani - Dharapuram
- I.P. Senthilkumar - Dindigul
- J. John Ebenezer - Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar
- C. Kasi - Edappadi
- S. Prasanna - Egmore
- S. Muthusamy - Erode West
- K. Chinnadurai - Gangavalli
- Gingee K.S. Masthan - Gingee
- N. Nallasivam - Gobichettipalayam
- M. Thiravidamani - Gudalur
- T.J. Govindarajan - Gummidipoondi
- P.K. Sekarbabu - Harbour
- A. Shanmugam - Harur
- K.S.K. Kannan - Jayankondam
- Kavitha Dhandapani - Jolarpet
- P.S.T. Saravanan - Kalasapakkam
- S. Nithya - Kancheepuram
- M.P. Saminathan - Kangayam
- R. Mahesh - Kanniyakumari
- Aasi M. Thiagarajan - Karur
- Duraimurugan - Katpadi
- K. Pichandi - Kilpennathur
- Dr. Rajeswari Mohangandhi - Kilvaithinankuppam
- S. Sabari Karthikeyan - Kinathukadavu
- M.K. Stalin - Kolathur
- K. Karunanidhi - Kovilpatti
- C.K. Raja - Krishnarayapuram
- Suriyanur A. Chandran - Kulithalai
- S. Balu - Kumarapalayam
- G. Anbalagan - Kumbakonam
- S.S. Sivasankar - Kunnam
- M.R.K. Panneerselvam - Kurinjipadi
- T. Parivallal Thangavel - Lalgudi
- R. Jayaramakrishnan - Madathukulam
- S. Sudharsanam - Madhavaram
- Palanivel Thiaga Rajan - Madurai Central
- P. Moorthy - Madurai East
- G. Thalapathi - Madurai North
- R. Balaji - Madurai West
- S. Ponmalar - Madurantakam
- Karambakkam K. Ganapathy - Maduravoyal
- A. Tamilarasi - Manamadurai
- S. Kathiravan - Mannachanallur
- T.R.B. Rajaa - Mannargudi
- K. Kavitha Sundaram - Mettupalayam
- M. Midhun Chakaravarthy - Mettur
- R.S. Rajakannappan - Mudukulathur
- N.S. Karunairaaja - Musiri
- Dha. Velu - Mylapore
- S. Austin - Nagercoil
- P. Rani - Namakkal
- Saba. Rajendran - Neyveli
- S. Nagajothi - Nilakottai
- R. Vaithilingam - Orathanadu
- R. Sakkarapani - Ottanchatram
- P.M. Ramajeyam - Ottapidaram
- Dr. D.N.V. Senthilkumar - Palacode
- M. Abdul Wahab - Palayamkottai
- K. Selvraj - Palladam
- P. Palaniappan - Pappireddippatti
- K.K. Kathiravan - Paramakudi
- K.S. Moorthy - Paramathi Velur
- K. Annadurai - Pattukkottai
- S.A. Sathya - Hosur
- S.T. Jayalakshmi - Perambalur
- R.D. Shekar - Perambur
- N. Asokkumar - Peravurani
- Thoppu N.D. Venkatachalam - Perundurai
- Nivedha M. Murugan - Poompuhar
- A. Krishnaswamy - Poonamallee
- V. Muthuraja - Pudukkottai
- M. Appavu - Radhapuram
- S. Thangapandian - Rajapalayam
- Katharbatsha (a) Muthuramalingam - Ramanathapuram
- Vinoth Gandhi - Ranipet
- M. Mathiventhan - Rasipuram
- K. Karthikeyan - Rishivandiyam
- Dr. A. Subairkhan - Royapuram
- Ma. Subramanian - Saidapet
- R. Rajendran - Salem North
- M. Loganathan - Salem South
- T. Udhayasuriyan - Sankarapuram
- M. Manikandan - Sankari
- A. Kadarkarai Raj - Sattur
- P. Poomalar - Senthamangalam
- A. Venkatesan - Sholavandan
- S. Aravind Ramesh - Sholinganallur
- S. Durairaj - Srirangam
- Thalapathi Murugeshan - Sulur
- Raja Anbalagan - T. Nagar
- Dr. R.S. Kiruthika Devi - Tambaram
- Kalai Kathiravan - Tenkasi
- Shan. Ramanathan - Thanjavur
- K.S. Ravichandran - Thiru-Vi-Ka-Nagar
- Thangam Thennarasu - Thiruchuli
- S. Regupathy - Thirumayam
- Kiruthiga Thangapandi - Thirupparankundram
- Durai Chandrasekaran - Thiruvaiyaru
- Poondi K. Kalaivanan - Thiruvarur
- Govi Chezhiaan - Thiruvidaimarudur
- N.R. Karthikeyan - Thondamuthur
- P. Geetha Jeevan - Thoothukudi
- Dr. Ezhilan Naganathan - Thousand Lights
- Anitha R. Radhakrishnan - Tiruchendur
- Pon Gowtham Sigamani - Tirukkoyilur
- Sedapatti M. Manimaran - Tirumangalam
- S. Subramanian - Tirunelveli
- A. Nallathambi - Tirupattur
- K.R. Periakaruppan - Tirupattur
- N. Dinesh Kumar - Tiruppur South
- V.G. Rajendran - Tiruvallur
- E.V. Velu - Tiruvannamalai
- Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi - Thiruverumbur
- C.V. Ganesan - Tittakudi
- Dr. S. Inigo Irudayaraj - Tiruchi East
- K.N. Nehru - Tiruchi West
- M. Jayakumar - Udumalaipettai
- G.R. Vasanthavel - Ulundurpettai
- K. Sundar - Uthiramerur
- A. Sudhakar - Valparai
- S. Ambeth Kumar - Vandavasi
- D. Gowtham - Vanur
- E. Raja - Vasudevanallur
- M. Pugazhenthi - Vedaranyam
- D. Swaminathan - Vedasandur
- Dr. A.K. Tarun - Veerapandi
- P. Karthikeyan - Vellore
- P.S. Srinivasan - Veppanahalli
- Anniyur Siva (a) A. Siva Sanmugam - Vikravandi
- G.V. Markandayan - Vilathikulam
- Karthik Mohan - Villivakkam
- R. Lakshmanan - Villupuram
- K.K. Chella Pandiyan - Viralimalai
- A.M.V. Prabhakara Raja - Virugambakkam
- T.M. Revathi Matheswaran - Yercaud
Tamil Nadu assembly polls will be done on a single phase on April 23, with vote counting scheduled for May 4. The main contest in the state is expected to be between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance. However, actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TMK made a bid to turn the election into a three-way contest.
ABOUT THE AUTHORPayal KumariPayal is a budding journalist currently pursuing her passion for storytelling at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. She has always loved writing and reading, and over time, these interests grew into a strong desire to tell stories that people can connect with. This is what led her to choose journalism and content writing as a career. She has interned with Prabhat Khabar, where she worked with the social media team. During her internship, she created content for different platforms and learned how to write in a clear and engaging way for a wide audience. This experience helped her understand how digital content works and improved her writing skills. Payal is always looking to learn and grow as a writer. She is open to exploring different kinds of stories and wants to keep getting better with each piece she writes. Outside of her work and studies, she is an avid reader. She enjoys reading all kinds of books, especially fiction and fantasy, and loves getting lost in different worlds and characters. Reading has always been a big part of her life and continues to inspire her writing. She is excited to keep learning, writing, and discovering where her journey in journalism takes her.Read More

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