Tamil Nadu Polls: No DMK, AIADMK In 21 Seats. TVK's Best Chance?

Last Updated:April 02, 2026, 19:21 IST

Candidates from their respective alliance partners will face off using their own party symbols, underlining a subtle but significant shift in Tamil Nadu's electoral dynamics

In an unusually competitive Tamil Nadu Assembly election, as many as 21 constituencies across the state will witness contests without the familiar “rising sun" of the DMK or the “two leaves" of the AIADMK on the ballot. Instead, candidates from their respective alliance partners will face off using their own party symbols, underlining a subtle but significant shift in Tamil Nadu‘s electoral dynamics.

This marks a noticeable jump from 11 such constituencies in the 2021 elections, pointing to the increasing weight of smaller parties in alliance strategies, reported The Times of India. The change is also opening up space for emerging players like TVK and NTK to strengthen their electoral footing.

“Both parties have factored in vote transfers from smaller parties. DMK leader MK Stalin has brought over 20 parties into his alliance after assessing that partners can contribute between 5,000 and 20,000 votes in a constituency," TOI quoted psephologist R Chandrasekaran as saying. The recalibration has led to a greater share of seats being allotted to allies, many of whom are choosing to contest under their own symbols rather than that of the principal party.

Chandrasekaran further noted that the political arithmetic has been complicated by the entry of actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). According to him, this new factor is likely to narrow victory margins compared to previous elections, forcing both DMK-led and AIADMK-led alliances to rethink their strategies.

From the vantage point of smaller or emerging parties, the absence of dominant symbols offers a rare opening. As political analyst V Bharathi, who has worked in the war rooms of national parties, explained to TOI, the absence of the two major symbols can be advantageous for third and fourth fronts. However, he cautioned that these parties cannot rely on this factor alone, especially since several of these constituencies remain strongholds of established alliance partners.

Ground realities in many of these seats continue to favour entrenched players. Thalli, for example, has long been considered a CPI bastion, with the party securing repeated victories there. Virudhachalam carries the legacy of Vijayakant’s DMDK, which won the seat in both 2006 and 2011, and now sees Premallatha returning to contest after a 15-year hiatus.

In Kattumannarkoil, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan is contesting in what has traditionally been his party’s stronghold. Notably, nine of the 21 constituencies are currently represented by Congress MLAs.

“Alliance candidates are backed by local leaders with an established voter base in these seats. To compete, TVK and NTK will need to field candidates with comparable local presence and influence," Bharathi reportedly said.

News india Tamil Nadu Polls: No DMK, AIADMK In 21 Seats. TVK's Best Chance?

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