AIADMK 2nd list: EPS plays it safe, retains 80 pc sitting MLAs, familiar faces

The AIADMK on Friday (March 27) released its second list of candidates for the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections that signalled continuity over experimentation. Around 80 per cent of the announced names are either sitting MLAs or familiar faces who have contested earlier.

The Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS)-led party unveiled 127 names today, taking the total number of announced candidates to 150. It plans to contest 167 seats under the NDA. Of the 66 AIADMK MLAs who won seats in the previous Assembly election, as many as 45 have been renominated.

Reacting to the list, political observers described it as EPS “playing a safe game”, prioritising loyalty and experience over fresh faces in a high-stakes battle against the ruling DMK.

Key highlights

Seventeen women candidates have been fielded so far, marking a modest push for gender representation.

Only one Muslim candidate has been named - S Sayeed Sultan Samsudeen for the Palayamkottai constituency, indicating limited representation for the minority community in the selections so far.

Chennai’s seats (except Royapuram) are still pending, indicating the party is holding back on key urban constituencies for the final phase.

In Coimbatore district, all six sitting AIADMK MLAs have been renominated.

Also Read: With free LPG and fridges, AIADMK reignites debate on pre-poll freebie promises

Some constituencies have sprung surprises.

Sankaranapuram: Long-time expectations that senior leader P Mohan would get the ticket has been dashed. A new face has been chosen instead.

Mettur: Veteran S Semmalai, who was widely tipped for renomination, has been overlooked in favour of a fresh candidate.

Gobichettipalayam (Gobi): Former AIADMK strongman and former minister KA Sengottaiyan, who quit the party after openly expressing strong displeasure with EPS’s leadership, will now contest against the AIADMK. The party has fielded Prabhu to take on Sengottaiyan. Interestingly, Sengottaiyan’s nephew KK Selvan, who had recently joined the AIADMK and declared readiness to contest against his uncle, has not been given the ticket.

Also Read: TN elections: AIADMK releases first list of 23 candidates

Senior journalist TN Raghu sharply criticised the selections, stating that out of the three Dalit ministers who served in EPS's cabinet, two - Saroja and Rajalakshmi - have been denied tickets for the 2026 polls. Even former Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal has been overlooked. Raghu alleged that AIADMK continues to give opportunities to ministers from dominant castes, allowing them to build their political legacy.

New entrant gets quick reward

In a notable instance of rewarding rapid loyalty, Leema Rose Martin, mother-in-law of actor-politician Aadhav Arjuna and wife of Lottery King Martin, has been handed the AIADMK ticket for the Lalgudi Assembly constituency, barely one month after she joined the party.

Also Read: NDA finalises seat sharing for Tamil Nadu polls; AIADMK gets 178 seats, BJP 27

The former Lakshya Jananayaga Katchi leader, who was recently appointed joint secretary of the AIADMK women’s wing, is already actively distributing gifts to party workers in Lalgudi and targeting Udayar community votes, with party insiders expressing confidence that the seat could return to the AIADMK after more than 20 years of DMK dominance.

Missing names spark speculation

The names of several prominent leaders, including former minister Gokula Indira, are yet to appear. Party insiders say the remaining 17 candidates - including those from Chennai and other key pockets - will be announced shortly in the third and final phase.

Also Read: Breaking from Jayalalithaa’s tradition, EPS camps in Delhi for seat-sharing talks

By heavily favouring sitting MLAs and proven faces while strategically placing loyalists in constituencies left behind by defectors such as OPS and Vaithilingam, EPS appears to be projecting stability and organisational strength. The strategy is aimed at consolidating the party’s core vote bank while minimising the risk of anti-incumbency within its own ranks.

Criticism

However, critics within and outside the party argue that the lack of fresh blood and the apparent sidelining of Dalit leaders could limit its appeal to younger voters and marginalised communities in what is expected to be a fiercely-contested election.

Also Read: 'Two kings can't rule one nation': Why EPS is blocking TVK's NDA entry

A senior journalist said EPS has fielded only candidates with the financial muscle to spend a minimum of Rs 10 crore on their campaigns, while deliberately choosing only his closest and most trusted loyalists. He added that EPS is clearly unwilling to take any risks in the candidate selection process.