Chennai: With the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled for April 23, seat allocation details within the AIADMK alliance for Chennai have been finalized. The AIADMK will contest directly in 13 of the 16 constituencies in the capital, allocating the remaining three seats to its alliance partners.
AIADMK’s direct contest in Chennai
The 13 constituencies where the AIADMK is fielding candidates are: R.K. Nagar, Kolathur, Villivakkam, T.V.K. Nagar (Reserved), Egmore (Reserved), Royapuram, Harbour, Chepauk-Triplicane, Thousand Lights, Anna Nagar, Virugambakkam, T. Nagar, and Velachery.
Seats allocated to alliance partners
The constituencies allocated to alliance partners are: Mylapore to the BJP, Saidapet to the AMMK, and Perambur to the PMK.
Chennai suburbs allocation
In the suburban areas of Chennai, Parivendhar’s IJK is contesting in Pallavaram, while the AMMK is contesting in Poonamallee. The PMK is contesting in Ambattur and Thiruporur. The AIADMK is directly entering the fray in Alandur, Tambaram, Chengalpattu, and Sholinganallur. The BJP is contesting in Avadi.
Historical context and expectations
Historically, there has been fierce competition between the AIADMK and the DMK in Chennai’s Assembly elections, and a similarly intense contest is expected this time. In the previous election, Chennai played a pivotal role in helping the DMK capture power, with the DMK and its alliance partners sweeping all 16 constituencies in the capital.
However, the AIADMK suffered defeats in T. Nagar and Velachery by very narrow margins—losing T. Nagar by just 137 votes and Velachery to the Congress by 4,352 votes. The party also missed out on victory in Virugambakkam by 18,000 votes and in Mylapore by 12,000 votes.
With the AIADMK now contesting in 13 constituencies and strategically allocating key urban seats to alliance partners, the party is aiming to reverse its previous narrow losses and make significant gains in the Chennai region.