Party finalises candidates across constituencies as election battle in Tamil Nadu intensifies
April 3, 2026: The Indian National Congress on Friday released its list of candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, shortly after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced its nominees. The list, cleared by the party’s Central Election Committee, comes after intense internal discussions and reflects the high stakes ahead of the April 23 polls.
The Congress has fielded candidates across several key constituencies, including both reserved and general seats, aiming to strengthen its position within the alliance framework in the state. Among prominent names, Durai Chandrasekar will contest from Ponneri (SC), JMH Aassan Maulaana from Velachery, and K. Selvaperunthagai from Sriperumbudur (SC). Other candidates include A.M. Munirathinam (Sholingur), Dr. A. Chella Kumar (Krishnagiri), GKM Tamil Kumaran (Pennagaram), and Gopinath Palaniyappan (Erode East).
The party has also announced candidates for constituencies such as Uthangarai, Attur, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Karaikudi, Sivakasi, Nanguneri, and Colachel, among others. The near-simultaneous release of candidate lists by Congress and BJP signals the rapid pace of election preparations, with political parties accelerating campaign efforts as the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls draw closer.