Former Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi, who resigned from the Cabinet last year, Handloom and Textiles Minister R. Gandhi, Dairy Development Minister Mano Thangaraj, and Human Resources Management Minister Kayalvizhi Selvaraj have been denied seats by the ruling DMK for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The party released its list of 164 candidates on Saturday (March 28, 2026).
Instead, Mr. Ponmudi’s son Gowtham Sigamani has been fielded in Tirukoilur Assembly constituency, which elected Mr. Ponmondi in the 2021 elections. Vinod Gandhi, the son of Mr. Gandhi, is contesting from the Ranipet constituency.
In April 2025, Mr. Ponmudy ran into trouble after the Madras High Court directed its Registry to take up a suo motu writ petition with respect to a derogatory speech by him against Saivites, Vaishnavites, and women. He resigned on April 27, 2025.
Senthilbalaji opts for Coimbatore South
Former Minister V. Senthilbalaji, a strongman of Karur, has opted for Coimbatore South constituency this time. The segment was won by the BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan in the 2021 Assembly polls.
In Kanniyakumari, former Minister N. Suresh Rajan has also been denied a seat. R. Mahesh, Mayor of Nagercoil, has been fielded in his place in the constituency.
OPS to contest from Bodinayakanur
Former Chief Minister O. Panneeselvam, who recently joined the DMK, will contest from Bodinayakanur Assembly constituency. Manoj Pandian, another supporter of Mr. Panneerselvam, who also joined the DMK, has been fielded in the Alangulam constituency. He had defeated the DMK candidate Poongothai Aladi Aruna in 2021 Assembly elections.