2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election
By April–May 2026
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 234 elected seats in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly 118 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion polls | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Map of the assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Legislative Assembly elections are expected to be held in Tamil Nadu in April–May 2026 to elect all 234 members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Background
The tenure of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on 10 May 2026.[1] The previous assembly elections were held in April 2021; Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance formed the state government after winning 159 of 234 seats, with M. K. Stalin sworn in as the Chief Minister.[2][3]
SPA alliance
Actor Kamal Haasan's MNM joined the Secular Progressive Alliance on March 2024.[4]
In the 2024 general election, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led SPA alliance which is part of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), won all the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu.[5]
AIADMK-led NDA alliance
On 25 September 2023, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam withdrew from the National Democratic Alliance.[6][7]
In the 2024 general election, the AIADMK-led Alliance and the BJP-led NDA alliance contested separately and both did not win any seat.[8][9]
On 11 April 2025, AIADMK and BJP reunited and formed alliance,[10][11] with Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced as chief ministerial candidate of the AIADMK-led NDA alliance.[12][13]
Others
Due to leadership dispute with Anbumani in Pattali Makkal Katchi, its founder S. Ramadoss, formed a splinter faction of the PMK in 2025.[14]
On 2 February 2024, Vijay announced the formation of his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), stating that it would contest the 2026 elections.[15][16]
Expulsions and resignations of MLAs
O. Panneerselvam and his supporters R. Vaithilingam and P. H. Manoj Pandian were expelled from AIADMK in the general council meeting in June 2022.[17] AIADMK MLA P. Ayyappan joined OPS faction in August 2022.[18]
Due to the split of PMK in 2025, three MLAs expressed support to Anbumani and two MLAs to Ramadoss.[19][20]
OPS supporter P. H. Manoj Pandian joined DMK and resigned from MLA post in November 2025.[21]
K. A. Sengottaiyan was expelled from AIADMK in October 2025 after his meeting with OPS.[22] He subsequently resigned from his position as a MLA post and joined TVK in November 2025.[23]
Composition of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
This table relates to the current composition of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly after the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election.
| 2021 election | December 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Seats | Party | Seats | ||
| DMK | 133 | DMK | 133 | ||
| AIADMK | 66 | AIADMK | 60 | ||
| Ind | 3 | ||||
| INC | 18 | INC | 17 | ||
| PMK | 5 | PMK | 3 | ||
| PMK(R) | 2 | ||||
| BJP | 4 | BJP | 4 | ||
| VCK | 4 | VCK | 4 | ||
| CPI(M) | 2 | CPI(M) | 2 | ||
| CPI | 2 | CPI | 2 | ||
| Vacant | - | Vacant | 4 | ||
| Total | 234 | - | 234 | ||
Schedule
| Poll event | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Notification date | TBD |
| Last date for filing nomination | TBD |
| Scrutiny of nomination | TBD |
| Last date for withdrawal of nomination | TBD |
| Date of poll | TBD |
| Date of counting of votes | TBD |
Parties and alliances
Secular Progressive Alliance
| Secular Progressive Alliance | ||||||
| Party | Flag | Symbol | Leader | Seats contested | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | M. K. Stalin | TBD | TBD | |||
| Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi | E. R. Eswaran | TBD | ||||
| Manithaneya Makkal Katchi | M. H. Jawahirullah | TBD | ||||
| Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi | T. Velmurugan[24] | TBD | ||||
| Adhi Tamilar Peravai | R. Athiyaman | TBD | ||||
| Makkal Viduthalai Katchi | S. K. Murugavel Rajan | TBD | ||||
| Indian National Congress | K. Selvaperunthagai[25] | TBD | ||||
| Communist Party of India (Marxist) | P. Shanmugam | TBD | ||||
| Communist Party of India | M. Veerapandian | TBD | ||||
| Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi | Thol. Thirumavalavan | TBD | ||||
| Makkal Needhi Maiam | Kamal Haasan | TBD | ||||
| Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Vaiko | TBD | ||||
| Indian Union Muslim League | K. M. Kader Mohideen | TBD | ||||
AIADMK-led NDA Alliance
| AIADMK-led NDA Alliance | |||||||
| Party | Flag | Symbol | Leader | Seats contested | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | TBD | TBD | ||||
| Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi | T. R. Paarivendhar | TBD | |||||
| Puratchi Bharatham Katchi | M. Jagan Moorthy | TBD | |||||
| Puthiya Needhi Katchi | A. C. Shanmugam | TBD | |||||
| Bharatiya Janata Party | Nainar Nagenthran | TBD | |||||
| Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) | G. K. Vasan | TBD | |||||
| All India Forward Bloc | P. V. Kathiravan | TBD | |||||
Others
| Party | Flag | Symbol | Leader | Seats contested | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naam Tamilar Katchi | Seeman | 234 | ||||
| Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam | Vijay | TBD | ||||
| Pattali Makkal Katchi | Anbumani Ramadoss | TBD | ||||
| Pattali Makkal Katchi (S. Ramadoss faction) | S. Ramadoss | TBD | ||||
| Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam | T. T. V. Dhinakaran | TBD | ||||
| Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam | Premallatha Vijayakant | TBD | ||||
| Bahujan Samaj Party | P. Anandan | TBD | ||||
| Puthiya Tamilagam | K. Krishnasamy | TBD | ||||
| Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam | B. John Pandian | TBD | ||||
| Republican Party of India | C. K. Thamizharasan | TBD | ||||
| Perunthalaivar Makkal Katchi | N. R. Dhanapalan | TBD | ||||
| Inthiya Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam | T. Devanathan Yadav | TBD | ||||
| Social Democratic Party of India | V. M. S. Mohamed Mubarak | TBD | ||||
| All India N.R. Congress | N. Rangasamy | TBD | ||||
Candidates
Campaign
On 1 June 2025, DMK president and chief minister M K Stalin launched an enrolment drive and urged party cadres to enrol at least 30% of voters in each polling booth as DMK members through a massive door-to-door outreach.[26][27]
On 7 July 2025, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami launched statewide campaign.[28][29]
On 13 September 2025, TVK president Vijay launched his party's election campaign.[30][31] On 27 September 2025, a crowd crush took place during a political rally hosted by TVK in Karur, Tamil Nadu in which 41 people were killed and 80-120 people were injured.[32][33]
Surveys and polls
Opinion polls
| Polling agency | Date published | Sample size | Margin of error | Lead | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPA | AIADMK+ | Others |
| Polling agency | Date published | Sample size | Margin of error | Lead | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPA | AIADMK+ | Others |
Exit polls
| Polling agency | Date published | Sample size | Margin of error | Lead | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPA | AIADMK+ | Others |
Results
Results by alliance or party
| Alliance/ Party | Popular vote | Seats | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±pp | Contested | Won | +/− | ||||
| SPA | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | ||||||||
| Indian National Congress | |||||||||
| Communist Party of India (Marxist) | |||||||||
| Communist Party of India | |||||||||
| Indian Union Muslim League | |||||||||
| Makkal Needhi Maiam | |||||||||
| Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |||||||||
| Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi | |||||||||
| Total | |||||||||
| AIADMK+ | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | ||||||||
| Bharatiya Janata Party | |||||||||
| Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) | |||||||||
| Total | |||||||||
| Other parties | |||||||||
| Independents | |||||||||
| NOTA | |||||||||
| Total | 100% | — | 234 | — | |||||
Results by district
| District | Seats | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPA | AIADMK+ | Others | ||
| Thiruvallur | 6 | |||
| Chennai | 22 | |||
| Kancheepuram | 3 | |||
| Chengalpattu | 6 | |||
| Ranipet | 4 | |||
| Vellore | 5 | |||
| Thirupattur | 4 | |||
| Krishnagiri | 6 | |||
| Dharmapuri | 5 | |||
| Thiruvanamalai | 8 | |||
| Villupuram | 7 | |||
| Kallakurichi | 4 | |||
| Salem | 11 | |||
| Namakkal | 6 | |||
| Erode | 8 | |||
| Nilgiris | 3 | |||
| Thiruppur | 8 | |||
| Coimbatore | 10 | |||
| Dindigal | 7 | |||
| Karur | 4 | |||
| Tiruchirapalli | 9 | |||
| Perambalur | 2 | |||
| Ariyalur | 2 | |||
| Cuddalore | 9 | |||
| Mayiladuthurai | 3 | |||
| Nagapattinam | 3 | |||
| Thiruvarur | 4 | |||
| Thanjavur | 8 | |||
| Pudukottai | 6 | |||
| Sivaganga | 4 | |||
| Madurai | 10 | |||
| Theni | 4 | |||
| Virudhunagar | 7 | |||
| Ramanathapuram | 4 | |||
| Thoothukudi | 6 | |||
| Tenkasi | 5 | |||
| Tirunelveli | 5 | |||
| Kanyakumari | 6 | |||
| Total | 234 |
Results by constituency
See also
References
- ^ "Term of the Houses". www.eci.gov.in. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ^ "Data | Assembly elections 2021: DMK reclaims power in Tamil Nadu". The Hindu. 5 May 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
- ^ "DMK chief MK Stalin takes oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister". India Today. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
- ^ "Actor Kamal Haasan's MNM joins DMK-led alliance; allotted one seat for 2025 Rajya Sabha polls". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "Lok Sabha Elections 2024 news | DMK alliance sweeps Tamil Nadu; trounces AIADMK, BJP". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "AIADMK severs ties with BJP-led NDA; to form front to fight 2024 LS polls". Deccan Herald. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "AIADMK snaps ties with BJP-led NDA alliance ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls". The Indian Express. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Tamil Nadu election results 2024: DMK alliance sweeps Cuddalore, Villupuram, and Kallakurichi". The Hindu. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "India Bloc Scripts Clean Sweep In Tamil Nadu, BJP And AIADMK Suffer Rout". 4 June 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
- ^ "BJP, AIADMK reunite forming alliance for 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election". The Hindu. 11 April 2025. Archived from the original on 11 April 2025. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "BJP announces alliance with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu ahead of 2026 elections, EPS to be CM candidate". 11 April 2025.
- ^ "Edappadi - Amit Shah will take all alliance decisions: BJP to cadre in fresh gag order". www.dtnext.in. 19 April 2025. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "EPS will be the NDA's CM face for 2026, coalition govt decision post-polls: Nainar Nagendran". www.dtnext.in. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "EC recognises Anbumani as PMK president; Ramadoss camp calls it a unilateral decision". The Times of India. 16 September 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "Thalapathy Vijay Launches Political Party, Names it Tamizha Vetri Kazhagam - www.lokmattimes.com". Lokmat Times. Archived from the original on 6 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
- ^ "Thalapathy' Vijay Launches Political Party: Thamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
- ^ "AIADMK Expels OPS, His Supporters From Party; Defiant Leader Vows Action". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "Usilampatti MLA switches over to Panneerselvam camp". The Hindu. 27 August 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "MLAs protest at Secretariat over PMK leadership dispute". The Times of India. 15 October 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "Anbumani seeks replacement of G K Mani as party floor leader". The Times of India. 26 September 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "AIADMK MLA Manoj Pandian joins DMK, resigns as MLA". The Times of India. 5 November 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ^ Jesudasan, Dennis S. (31 October 2025). "Tamil Nadu MLA Sengottaiyan expelled from AIADMK a day after his meeting with Panneerselvam, Dhinakaran, Sasikala". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ Bureau, The Hindu (27 November 2025). "Expelled AIADMK veteran Sengottaiyan joins Vijay's TVK". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "I am still part of DMK alliance despite differences: Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader Velmurugan". The Times of India. 14 April 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "Selvaperunthagai named State Congress president, Rajesh Kumar new floor leader". The Hindu. 17 February 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "DMK launched 'Oraniyil Tamil Nadu' enrolment drive". The Times of India. 2 June 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ^ "CM Stalin launches Oraniyil Tamil Nadu, does not rule out more parties joining DMK bloc". The New Indian Express. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ^ "EPS launches AIADMK campaign logo for 2026 TN polls, gives out call to 'remove evil DMK govt'". ThePrint. ANI. 5 July 2025. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ^ "AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami launches 'Let's Protect the People, Let's Save Tamil Nadu' ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly election". ANI News. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ^ "'Vijay is coming': Tamil star kicks off Assembly poll campaign, targets DMK and BJP over broken promises". The Indian Express. 14 September 2025. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ^ "Vijay launches election campaign in Trichy, says TVK will make only practical and implementable promises". The Times of India. 13 September 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ^ "39 die in stampede during TVK leader Vijay's Karur campaign". The Times of India. 28 September 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
- ^ "TVK rally stampede highlights: Madurai Bench of Madras High Court to hear TVK's case on September 29". The Hindu. 27 September 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 October 2025.