Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) youth wing secretary and Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, contesting the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections from his sitting seat of Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, is leading with 14,423 votes, ahead by 300 votes. Selvam D of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is close behind with 14,123 votes, while Aadirajaram of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is in third place with 3,220 votes, behind by 11,203.
Udhayanidhi Stalin is facing a high-profile challenge in a constituency long considered a family bastion, as the DMK aims for a historic second consecutive term under the "Dravidian Model" of governance.
Udhayanidhi’s political journey reached a significant milestone in September 2024 when he was elevated to deputy chief minister, a move that mirrored his father MK Stalin’s own ascent in 2009. Since entering the cabinet in December 2022, he has handled key portfolios including Youth Welfare and Sports Development. On the campaign trail, Udhayanidhi has framed the election as a battle between the "Tamil Nadu team" and the "Delhi team," urging voters to reject the BJP-AIADMK alliance to protect the state's self-respect, as per a PTI news agency report.
Early life
Born on November 27, 1977, Udhayanidhi is the grandson of the late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Loyola College (1997). Before his formal entry into politics in 2019, he was a prominent figure in the cinema sector as a producer and lead actor, notably winning a Filmfare debut award in 2012. He officially retired from acting in 2023 following the release of Maamannan to focus entirely on his political responsibilities. He is married to Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi, a director, and the couple has two children.
{{/usCountry}}Born on November 27, 1977, Udhayanidhi is the grandson of the late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Loyola College (1997). Before his formal entry into politics in 2019, he was a prominent figure in the cinema sector as a producer and lead actor, notably winning a Filmfare debut award in 2012. He officially retired from acting in 2023 following the release of Maamannan to focus entirely on his political responsibilities. He is married to Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi, a director, and the couple has two children.
{{/usCountry}}ALSO READ | Kolathur, Edappadi, Tiruchirappalli East : 5 key constituencies that will define Tamil Nadu elections
About Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency
The Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency, located in the heart of Chennai, has been a DMK stronghold for decades. It was represented by M Karunanidhi three times between 1991 and 2006. In the 2021 elections, there were approximately 2.34 lakh voters in the segment. The constituency is currently at the center of Udhayanidhi’s "Single Brick" legacy, a campaign tactic he used in 2021 to highlight the stalled AIIMS Madurai project.
For the 2026 polls, Udhayanidhi is facing a direct challenge from Adhirajaram, the candidate fielded by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). If Udhayanidhi manages to secure a second term, he has promised to expand welfare schemes, including increasing the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai (women's monthly assistance) from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 and distributing 35 lakh free laptops to college students over the next five years.
What happened in the previous elections?
In the 2021 Assembly elections, Udhayanidhi Stalin made a spectacular electoral debut by winning the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni seat with a massive margin of 93,285 votes. He secured roughly 68% of the total votes polled, defeating the PMK’s Kasali Raman.
ALSO READ | In Tamil Nadu, freebies star in election script
Prior to his win, the seat was held by DMK’s J Anbazhagan, who won in both 2011 and 2016. In 2016, Anbazhagan defeated AIADMK’s A Noorjahan by a margin of 14,164 votes. The 2021 victory marked a significant consolidation of power for Udhayanidhi, who also played a pivotal role as the party's star campaigner across all 234 constituencies, helping the DMK-led alliance secure 159 seats.
In the current election cycle, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance is contesting all 234 seats, with the DMK fielding candidates in the majority of segments. The opposition is split between the AIADMK-led NDA alliance and actor Vijay’s newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which is contesting solo. Polling for the 234 seats will take place on April 23, with results scheduled for May 4.
(With PTI inputs)