The AIADMK has launched an unusually intense campaign in the Cauvery delta districts of Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam and is reading the electoral terrain as more favorable than the 2021 verdict might suggest. The party is directly contesting four of the six assembly segments across two constituencies – while the remaining two will go to its NDA allies – relying on a combination of a good voter base, perceived anti-establishment and micro-level mobilization to tip the scales in its favor. benefit.
In 2021, AIADMK in four seats in these districts and won only in Vedaranyam. But party strategists point to the narrow margin of defeat in the remaining constituencies as evidence that her core support remains intact. The party’s conclusion is that even a slight fluctuation could change the results in at least a few segments this time.
At the heart of the campaign narrative is the allegation that the DMK government has failed to provide significant infrastructure in the region over the past five years – a line that the AIADMK believes resonates particularly in rural and coastal belts.
S. Pownraj, Mayiladuthurai district secretary, two-time MLA and party candidate from Poompuhar, believes that “the country is looking bright”. He pointed to the party that had fielded M. Sathi, a former MLA, in Sirkazhi and recalled its development record. At the same time, he acknowledged that the DMK’s decision to assign Sirkazhi to the MDMK — a dispute over the rising sun symbol — could give the alliance a structural advantage.
Still, the AIADMK sees openings. The initial ambiguity over the MDMK’s choice of symbol in Sirkazhi is seen by party functionaries as blunting the campaign’s early momentum. In contrast, AIADMK candidates have been on the ground for months, building connections at the booth level.
A key addition to the party’s social coalition is P. Kaliyamal, who won 14,823 votes as the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate in 2021 and has since joined the AIADMK. Her induction is expected to consolidate support among the fishing communities in both Poompuhar and Sirkazhi – constituencies where the party has traditionally claimed a lead.
The Poompuhar constituency remains a competitive seat. Formed in 1977, the AIADMK won six out of eleven elections. In 2021, Mr. Pownraj lost by 3,299 votes securing 92,803 votes. In Sirkazhi (SC), the party’s 2021 candidate PV Bharathi lost by 12,148 votes and got 81,909 votes – a deficit the party believes is surmountable.
In Nagapattinam district, Vedaranyam remains the AIADMK’s strongest support. Former minister OS Manian, a two-time MLA, won the seat in 2021 by 12,329 votes. Mr Manian, known for his enduring involvement in both the fishing and rural communities, is said to have launched a booth-level consolidation exercise months in advance with a focus on reactivating “missing voters” within the party’s traditional base.
His efforts were complemented by reaching out to community leaders, including securing the support of GM Sridhar Vandayar of the Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday – seen as a move to retain caste vote banks, especially as the DMK fielded a candidate from the same community.
Nevertheless, the competition is not without complications. Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) candidate A. Kingsley Gerald, formerly of AMMK, is expected to take a bite out of AIADMK’s vote share. Similarly, NTK first-timer Idumbavanam Karthick – the local party’s star speaker – could better the party’s 9,106 vote tally in 2021, potentially affecting margins.
In the Nagapattinam constituency, AIADMK’s Thanga Kathiravan is again in the fray, losing by 7,238 votes with 59,043 votes in 2021. The party is trying to use the ‘outsider’ tag against DMK’s ally candidate from Manithaneya Makkal Katchi while projecting Kathiravana’s local connections.
However, the selection of candidates caused unrest. Sections of the fishing community have expressed displeasure over the absence of community representation in the selection of candidates in both districts. The ousting of former minister KA Jayapal in Nagapattinam added to the discontent. The entry of District Secretary TVK Sukumar – also from the fishing community – could further split this vote.
At the alliance level, the AIADMK is banking on the BJP’s organizational growth in rural areas over the past five years. Still, reports on the ground suggest a pragmatic, if uneasy, arrangement: AIADMK leaders are said to be campaigning independently in Muslim-majority areas, often leaving BJP cadres out of such engagements.
“The BJP understands the sensitivities,” said the AIADMK candidate, noting that the independent outreach to local jamaths had elicited positive responses.
Internal discontent within the DMK’s two district units is quietly factored into the AIADMK’s calculations.
In the end, while the four constituencies look competitive on paper, party insiders concede that smaller players could be the deciding variable. The extent to which TVK and NTK candidates cut into the AIADMK voter base could determine whether the party translates its perceived momentum into real gains.
Published – 05 April 2026 22:09 IST
