Tamil Nadu election 2026: Congress releases candidates’ list, renominates 12 out of 18 sitting MLAs

CHENNAI: After multiple rounds of talks amid internal factionalism, the Congress high command on Friday released a list of 27 candidates for the April 23 Tamil Nadu assembly election. The party is yet to finalise its candidate for the Melur constituency while 12 out of the 18 sitting MLAs have been renominated.

Among those named is G K M Tamil Kumaran, son of PMK floor leader in TN assembly G K Mani, who joined the Congress last Saturday. He has been fielded from the vanniyar-dominated Pennagaram constituency.





Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai and Congress legislative party leader M Rajesh Kumar have been renominated from Sriperumbudur and Killiyoor, respectively.

Sitting MLAs J M H Aassan Maulaana (Velachery), Ruby R Manoharan (Nanguneri), Durai Chandrasekar (Ponneri) and S Mangudi (Karaikudi) have also been renominated from their respective constituencies.

Tharagai Cuthbert, who won the Vilavancode bypoll in 2024, has been shifted to Colachel, which was represented by J G Prince in the outgoing assembly. T T Praven will contest Vilavancode, where he is set to take on BJP candidate S Vijayadharani.

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