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AIADMK Kicks Off Statewide Tour to Shape 2026 Tamil Nadu Election Manifesto

The AIADMK has formally entered election mode for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls by launching an extensive manifesto consultation process. A 10-member committee led by Natham R. Viswanathan will tour all 38 districts from January 7 to 20 to gather public and stakeholder inputs. Parallel to this, the party will begin screening a substantial pool of over 7,900 applicants seeking Assembly tickets starting January 9. This early and structured approach underscores the principal opposition party's strategy to build a broad-based policy platform and position itself as a credible alternative to the ruling DMK.

Key Points: AIADMK Begins Statewide Manifesto Consultations for 2026 TN Polls

  • Statewide manifesto consultations begin Jan 7
  • Committee to tour all 38 districts
  • Over 7,900 ticket applications received
  • Parallel candidate screening starts Jan 9
  • Aiming to position as credible DMK alternative
2 min read

TN Assembly polls: AIADMK to begin statewide consultations for manifesto preparation from Jan 7

AIADMK launches a 14-day statewide tour for public consultations to draft its 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election manifesto, while screening thousands of ticket aspirants.

TN Assembly polls: AIADMK to begin statewide consultations for manifesto preparation from Jan 7
"engage directly with the public to understand ground-level concerns and aspirations - AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami"

Chennai, Jan 4

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has formally shifted into election mode ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, unveiling an extensive roadmap for manifesto preparation and candidate selection.

According to a statement issued by the party, a 10-member manifesto committee will begin a statewide tour from January 7 to hold consultations with the public and various stakeholder groups.

The tour, scheduled to run until January 20, will cover all five zones of the State and span all 38 districts, reflecting the party's attempt to craft a broad-based and regionally responsive election manifesto.

The manifesto committee, headed by senior leader Natham R. Viswanathan, includes prominent party functionaries C. Ponnaiyan, Pollachi V. Jayaraman, D. Jayakumar, C. Ve. Shanmugham, S. Semmalai, P. Valarmathi, O.S. Manian, R.B. Udhayakumar, and S.S. Vaigai Selvan.

The panel held its first meeting at the party headquarters earlier this week, where it finalised the framework and schedule for the statewide outreach programme.

During the tour, committee members are expected to meet representatives from farmers' groups, traders, women's organisations, youth bodies, professionals, and other sections of society to solicit suggestions and policy inputs.

Party sources said these views would form the backbone of the AIADMK's manifesto, which is aimed at positioning the party as a credible alternative to the ruling DMK.

Parallel to the manifesto exercise, the party leadership will commence interviews of ticket aspirants from January 9.

The AIADMK has received a substantial response from aspirants, with as many as 7,988 applications submitted by individuals seeking Assembly tickets.

In addition, 2,187 applications were reportedly submitted by party functionaries on behalf of AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, urging him to contest from their respective constituencies.

Announcing the formation of the manifesto committee last week, Palaniswami said the panel would engage directly with the public to understand ground-level concerns and aspirations before finalising the party's vision document for the 2026 polls. He added that the detailed tour programme would be released shortly.

As the principal Opposition party in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK's early start to manifesto drafting and candidate screening signals an aggressive and structured approach to the upcoming Assembly election battle.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Nearly 8000 applications for tickets! 🤯 That shows the hunger to come back to power. But AIADMK needs a very strong, people-centric manifesto. Just criticising DMK won't be enough. They need concrete plans for employment, women's safety, and industrial growth in TN.
M
Michael C
Interesting to see the early start. In many democracies, manifesto preparation is an internal party affair. This public consultation model, if done sincerely, could set a new standard for participatory policy-making in Indian politics.
S
Shreya B
The committee has experienced leaders, which is good. But I hope they don't just tour cities and towns. They must visit remote villages and listen to the issues there—water scarcity, road connectivity, and primary healthcare. That's where the real Tamil Nadu lives.
K
Karthik V
All the best to them. A strong opposition is crucial for a healthy democracy. But respectfully, the last time they were in power, the governance was not up to the mark in many departments. They need to convince us they have learned and have a better team this time.
A
Anjali F
Hope they focus on education and skill development. Our youth need globally competitive opportunities right here in Tamil Nadu, not just in Chennai or Coimbatore. Also, please have a clear plan for supporting MSMEs! 🙏

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