1 / 8Vijay (Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East, TVK): The actor turned politician and leader of TVK has emerged as a prominent player in the 2026 elections. In Perambur, he garnered 1,20,365 votes, winning by a significant margin of 53,715 votes. In Tiruchirappalli East, he received 91,381 votes, with a victory margin of 27,416 votes.
2 / 8R Sabarinathan (Virugambakkam, TVK): Son of Vijay’s former driver-turned-assistant, Rajendran, Sabarinathan became a notable candidate after being included in the party slate by Vijay. Reports indicate he has an engineering background, worked in Qatar, and returned to Chennai in 2024, later becoming the Virugambakkam district secretary before receiving his ticket. He achieved 76,092 votes, winning by a margin of 27,086 votes.
3 / 8V. S Babu (Kolathur, TVK): Babu of TVK triumphed over M. K Stalin, the sitting chief minister aiming for a fourth term from Kolathur. He secured 82,997 votes, winning by a margin of 8,795 votes.
4 / 8Udhayanidhi Stalin (Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, DMK): Once an actor and film producer, he is now the deputy chief minister and is pursuing a second consecutive term in the Assembly. He won in Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni in 2021 with a margin exceeding 69,000 votes. In the 2026 elections, he gained 62,992 votes and won by 7,140 votes.
5 / 8Edappadi K Palaniswami (Edappadi, AIADMK): The AIADMK leader and former chief minister remains at the core of his party in western Tamil Nadu. He has been elected from Edappadi five times—1989, 1991, 2011, 2016, and 2021. He received 1,48,933 votes and won by a margin of 98,110 votes.
6 / 8O Panneerselvam (Bodinayakkanur, DMK): After switching from AIADMK to DMK ahead of the elections, the former chief minister is contesting from his long-standing stronghold. He has reportedly been winning in Bodinayakkanur since 2011 and seeks a fourth consecutive term. Panneerselvam garnered 85,206 votes and emerged victorious by 6,805 votes.
7 / 8V Senthil Balaji (Coimbatore South, DMK): A businessman turned politician, he transitioned from AIADMK to DMK in 2018, showcasing an extensive electoral history in Karur and Aravakurichi. He won in Karur in 2006 and 2011, Aravakurichi in the 2016 by-election, and Karur again in 2021. For 2026, DMK nominated him for Coimbatore South, where he secured 59,724 votes and won by a margin of 2,271 votes.
8 / 8Thangam Thennarasu (Tiruchuli, DMK): A seasoned leader within DMK, he has solidified Tiruchuli as his constituency. After previously losing in Aruppukottai in 2001, he won the seat in 2011, 2016, and 2021, with a notable 102,225 votes in 2021 when he defeated the AIADMK contender by 60,992. In the 2026 elections, Thennarasu earned 75,085 votes, winning by a margin of 13,485 votes.
