scorecardresearch
Add as a preferred source on Google
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
TopicTamil Nadu Assembly elections

Topic: Tamil Nadu Assembly elections

Once the weathervane of Tamil Nadu politics, how Ramadoss lost his grip on PMK & its core Vanniyar base

Ahead of the 23 April polls, Ramadoss has sided with V.K. Sasikala. The alliance is seen as a ploy to enmesh Vanniyars and Thevars together, the communities both leaders represent.

Set to sit TN polls out, how Kamal Haasan’s MNM went from being challenger to DMK’s cheerleader

Kamal Haasan’s MNM will skip 2026 TN polls after failed seat talks with DMK, backing the alliance instead. The move follows his Rajya Sabha entry and suggests the party’s steady electoral retreat.

DMK’s reel politik: Tamil Nadu CM’s ‘Vibe with MKS’ is reaching out to young voters, with a selfie and strategy

Informal chats with influencers, athletes and children—Stalin and DMK's calculated pitch to Tamil Nadu's GenZ electorate and other young voters ahead of 23 April election.

Scrutiny of Vijay’s personal life derailing agenda ahead of Tamil Nadu polls, say TVK insiders

Actor-politician Vijay is facing uncomfortable questions as divorce proceedings & rumours about his personal life dominate headlines. Party insiders fear row could dent TVK’s messaging ahead of polls.

Stalin pitches himself as torchbearer of Dravidian legacy, releases ‘Stalin statement’ for poll-bound TN

Invoking 1967 DMK victory led by Annadurai, Stalin presented a 14-point vision for 2030, pitching himself as the champion of Dravidian ideology amid rising competition in state’s political space.

Pension, laptops, Pongal gifts—DMK courts govt staff, women, youth to ‘blunt anti-incumbency’ in polls

Tamil Nadu govt's welfare blitz, political watchers say, is a deliberate electoral strategy, meant to check criticism from Opposition & draw AIADMK voters.

After Bihar loss, Congress sets assertive tone in TN with a ‘winnable’ seats list for talks with DMK

The party has shortlisted 125 seats with credible chance of victory. A 5-member panel will handle seat-sharing talks, with plans to push for a larger share this election, it is learnt.

The Thevar factor in southern Tamil Nadu & how DMK, AIADMK have harnessed it for electoral gains

Traditionally an AIADMK votebank, the Thevars are now seen to be moving towards DMK. While they may influence how other communities vote, are they numerically strong enough to play kingmaker?

With OPS & Dhinakaran out of Tamil Nadu NDA, why Vijay’s TVK could benefit from crisis

Chennai: With breakaway AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam and AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran quitting the NDA alliance and senior AIADMK leader and former minister K.A....

Vikravandi to Madurai: How Vijay’s TVK has evolved from challenger to confident power claimant in TN

At second TVK conference in Madurai, Vijay projected himself as CM-in-waiting ahead of Tamil Nadu assembly polls, named and targeted rivals directly and asserted his leadership.

On Camera

Airbases in the crosshairs of warring nations—Is India ready?

India’s air defence architecture proved its mettle in Operation Sindoor. But more can be done to fully integrate all three services and civil aviation radars.

Stocks fall, oil prices climb as Trump issues fresh threat to Iran ahead of his deadline

Fears that an escalation of the conflict could heighten a fuel squeeze & endanger the economy unnerved traders, with NYT reporting Iran stopped negotiating a truce with the US.

UAE walks away from financing Rafale F5 due to restricted access to technology, reports French media

French newspaper La Tribune earlier last week indicated that UAE withdrew from deal to fund EUR 3.5 billion. India is looking to order 114 new Rafales, which could include the F5.

China insulated itself against energy shocks. India is ‘all talk, no walk’

China patiently invested capital, skill and technology in coal gasification. Unlike it, we won’t move from words to action. As crude prices decline, we lose interest.