The Times of India

In a bold move leading up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the BJP has rolled out its candidate lineup, showcasing influential figures such as Nainar Nagenthran and Tamilisai Soundararajan. Interestingly, K Annamalai, the former state president, has been left off the list.

As elections approach, political campaigns are transcending religious and caste boundaries. Leaders from various parties are seen participating in religious ceremonies across different faiths and visiting community memorials. This strategic shift aims to consolidate a significant minority vote and appeal to all segments of the electorate.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's son-in-law, Sabarisan Vedamurthy, made a rare public appearance campaigning for a DMK candidate, sparking speculation about his future political role. Vedamurthy, however, insists he will continue to focus on backend strategy and supporting friends, emphasizing his commitment to providing tech and strategic support to the DMK from behind the scenes.

In Gobichettipalayam, the electoral dynamics are undergoing a seismic shift. Sengottaiyan's transition to the TVK is putting his historical Gounder support base, once solidly behind AIADMK, to the test. While actor Vijay's star power may lure a fresh wave of voters, TVK's lack of established infrastructure could prove detrimental.

In a fervent speech, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss slammed the DMK for exploiting Dalits as mere electoral pawns, lamenting the absence of genuine support and respect for their rights. He voiced concern over the allocation of seats to VCK, suggesting it symbolizes the sidelining of Scheduled Caste representatives.

Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai has voluntarily opted out of contesting the upcoming assembly elections, stating he informed the party leadership in writing. Union minister Piyush Goyal confirmed Annamalai will focus on statewide campaigning.

Minutes after BJP released its candidate list, Annamalai posted on X that he would campaign for NDA candidates.

The court made the observation while refusing to allow an appeal moved by Cognizant Technologies Solutions India challenging an order passed by a labour appellate authority quashing illegal termination of an employee who served the company for 18 years.

TVK leader K A Sengottaiyan asserted that actor Vijay's massive campaign turnouts signal public acceptance and a desire for change, drawing parallels to MGR's popularity.

Among those named is G K M Tamil Kumaran, son of PMK floor leader in TN assembly G K Mani, who joined the Congress last Saturday. He has been fielded from the vanniyar-dominated Pennagaram constituency.

The BJP has unveiled its candidate list for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, following internal discussions and cadre concerns. Notably, former state president K Annamalai is absent from this initial selection. Prominent figures like Tamilisai Soundararajan and Vanathi Srinivasan have been fielded from key constituencies, signaling the party's strategic approach for the upcoming polls.

Tamil Nadu's political landscape sees caste-based parties aligning with major Dravidian outfits to gain legislative representation. These alliances, often driven by electoral prospects rather than ideology, allow smaller outfits to contest on larger parties' symbols, influencing multi-cornered contests and securing community interests.

Rathore, a 1992-batch IPS officer, will oversee election-related policing in the state.

On March 27, representative of Irans supreme leader in India Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi was in Chennai to join the citys Islamic community to pay tributes to late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.