AIADMK, DMK To Lock Horns Directly In 24 Southern Seats
The DMK has fielded several heavyweights against the AIADMK in these constituencies
MADURAI: The AlADMK and DMK are set to face-off directly in 24 of the 58 Assembly constituencies spread across 10 southern districts from Madurai to Kanyakumari in the 2026 elections.
Of the candidates fielded in these head-to-head contests, six are sitting MLAs of the AIADMK and 10 belong to the DMK. Notably, Paul Manoj Pandian, who won Alangulam on an AIADMK ticket in 2021, and O. Panneerselvam, elected from Bodinayakkanur as an AIADMK candidate, are now in the fray as DMK nominees.
The DMK has fielded several heavyweights against the AIADMK in these constituencies, including five ministers — Geetha Jeevan in Thoothukudi, R.S. Rajakannappan in Mudukulathur, K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran in Aruppukkottai, P. Moorthy in Madurai East, and P.T.R. Palanivel Thiagarajan in Madurai Central — signalling the party’s intent to retain its foothold.
However, minister of milk and dairy development, Mano Thangaraj, has not got the party ticket this time as his Padmanabhapuram constituency, in Kanyakumari district, has been allotted to the CPI(M) in the DMK alliance. It has been said that the constituency, one of DMK’s strong support bases in Kanyakumari district, has been given to the CPI(M) in exchange for Kovilpatti, where the Left party unsuccessfully contested in the 2021 Assembly elections.
Women, however, remain under-represented in these direct contests, with only three in the fray — R. Sathy of the AIADMK from Vilathikulam, and P. Geetha Jeevan (Thoothukudi) and Krithiga Pandian (Thiruparankundram) from the DMK.
The concentration of direct contests, presence of incumbent legislators and high-profile ministerial candidates together make these constituencies a crucial battleground in the southern belt.
