Tamil Nadu, Puducherry polls: DMK starts candidate selection process

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Wednesday invited applications from aspirants seeking party tickets for the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry . Applications will be accepted from February 20 to March 2 , with a fee of ₹25,000 for general candidates and ₹15,000 for women and reserved category aspirants. The party said the amount will be refunded if the chosen constituency is later allotted to alliance partners during seat-sharing talks.

A party panel will be formed from February 22 to begin discussions with allies, including the Indian National Congress , VCK and Left parties. Candidate screening is expected to conclude by late March, with the first list likely in April. Tamil Nadu has 234 Assembly seats , while Puducherry has 30 seats .

In the 2021 elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won 133 seats on its own and 159 with allies , returning to power after a decade. The opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) , led by Edappadi K Palaniswami , along with the Bharatiya Janata Party , have intensified organisational activities and public outreach. Actor-turned-politician Vijay ’s newly launched party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam , has also begun building its cadre base and preparing for its first electoral contest, adding a new dimension to the evolving political battle ahead of the Assembly polls.