Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin on Monday filed his nomination from the Kolathur Assembly constituency in Chennai.
After filing his papers, Stalin expressed full confidence that people would hand him a spectacular victory for the 4th time in a row in the Kolathur segment.
Stalin had successfully contested polls from the Kolathur constituency in the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections.
Soon after filing his papers, Stalin gave a brief roadshow, waving to the people and seeking support. The DMK chief also released a book on his achievements for the Kolathur constituency.
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on 23 April, covering 234 constituencies. Counting is scheduled for 4 May.
"Our victory will be very bright. Compared to the last three times, this time I'm witnessing a huge support. This is the United Progressive Alliance. Tamil Nadu is fighting against Delhi. This time the victory is going to be very big," Stalin told ANI.
DMK will contest 164 out of the 234 constituencies in the state, while 70 seats have been allocated to its alliance partners. These partners include the Congress Party with 28 seats, the Communist Party of India (CPI) with 5 seats, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) with 5 seats, VCK with 8 seats, and MDMK with 4 seats.
Vijay files nominations
In a related development, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President Vijay filed his nomination on Monday from the Perambur and Trichy East constituencies.
A day earlier, Vijay unveiled the party's manifesto for the upcoming elections, promising "anti-drug protection zones" and a monthly assistance for students.
Addressing a press conference in Chennai, Vijay outlined his vision for a drug-free, self-reliant Tamil Nadu. He said anti-drug protection zones" will be established in all schools and colleges across the state. "Our primary goal is to create a drug-free Tamil Nadu," he asserted.
He also assured that all government examinations will be conducted on time without delays.
Vijay announced a monthly assistance of ₹4,000 for graduates and ₹2,000 for diploma holders.
What happened in the 2021 Assembly Elections?
In the 2021 Tamil Nadu assembly polls held in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by MK Stalin, swept to power after a decade in opposition, winning 133 seats on its own.
The DMK, along with Congress and other partners in the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), won 159 out of 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
