Speculations are rife that the BJP is likely to release its candidate list for the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections on Thursday. The party will contest in 27 seats, while ally AIADMK will contest in 176. Other allies, PMK has been alloted 18 seats while AMMK will get 11, TMM 5 seats, IJK 2 seats and the TMMK 1 seat.
Reports are that despite pressure from Delhi, the BJP could only secure one seat in Chennai and Coimbatore districts, where the party is said to have a strong base. The Tirunelveli seat, which state president Nainar Nagendran contested and won last time, has not been allotted to the BJP. Out of the 4 seats won by the BJP in the 2021 assembly elections, only 2 seats have been allotted again.
The BJP will contest in Mylapore, Mookkurichi, Thali, Udhagamandalam, Avinashi, Tiruppur South, Coimbatore North, Gandharvakottai, Pudukkottai, Tirupattur, Madurai South, Sattur, Tiruchendur, Radhapuram, Nagercoil, Vasudevanallur, Vilavancode, Avadi, Thiruvalluvar, T.Malai, Vasudevanallur, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Aranthangi, Manamadurai, Ramanathapuram, Kulachal, Padmanabhapuram, Rasipuram (separate) constituencies.
As per sources, the candidate list could see BJP state president Nayinar Nagendran contesting from Sattur constituency for the first time. Though the AIADMK offered Palladam seat for Annamalai, he insisted on Singanallur or Koundampalayam, part of the Coimbatore constituency that he contested in the 2024 parliamentary elections. However, both seats have not been given to the BJP.
Union Minister of State L. Murugan and a relative of sitting MLA Saraswathi are being considered for the Avinashi constituency and Modakkurichi. Vanathi Srinivasan, who won Coimbatore South last time, is likely to contest from Coimbatore North this time. In Chennai, the BJP has been allotted only one constituency, Mylapore. Tamilisai Soundararajan is almost certain to contest there.
In Kanyakumari district, the BJP has won Nagercoil, Vilavancode, Kulachal and Padmanabhapuram constituencies. Vijayadharani may be given a chance in Vilavancode, and Anandan Ayyasamy is almost certain to be the candidate in Vasudevanallur. Sitting MLA M.R. Gandhi or Meenadev might be in fray in Nagercoil, Karuppu Muruganantham may contest from Thanjavur, while Pon. Radhakrishnan is being considered in Ramanathapuram.
The Election Commission has announced that the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections will be held on April 23 and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.