Published Mar 22, 2026 | 3:14 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 22, 2026 | 3:14 PM
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin. Credit: x.com/mkstalin
Synopsis: With the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls looming, Chief Minister MK Stalin has reportedly made it clear that cabinet positions in the next government will be based on performance. The party may ask some senior ministers to step aside due to age and health, though some are resisting. At the same time, several senior leaders are seeking tickets for their children.
In the run-up to the 23 April Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Chief Minister MK Stalin, seeking a second straight term, has set the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance an ambitious target of securing 200 seats in the 234-member Assembly.
To that end, the DMK has brought more than 20 parties and organisations into the alliance in recent months. At the same time, it has tried to reduce the number of seats allotted to key allies—such as the Congress and the CPI(M)—compared with previous polls.
Internally, Stalin has reportedly made it clear that cabinet members who also serve as district secretaries or district in-charges will be rewarded with positions in the next cabinet based on performance. Those who secure more MLAs will be favoured, with no distinction between senior and junior leaders.
Sources in the DMK say some senior leaders may be asked to step aside to make way for a new generation of candidates.
At the same time, dynastic entries are likely to increase in this election. During the previous election, when Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin was introduced, the leadership had informally discouraged senior leaders from seeking tickets for their family members.
This time, several senior leaders are actively lobbying for their children to enter the electoral fray.
The Tamil Nadu cabinet currently has 34 ministers, including the Chief Minister, with several of them above 70 years of age.
One of the most prominent among them is Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan, who is over 80 and one of the party’s longest-serving leaders, active since the era of CN Annadurai and M Karunanidhi. He currently serves as the party’s General Secretary.
Sources indicate that, due to his age and recurring health issues, the leadership is inclined to ask Durai Murugan to sit out this election. However, he is said to be determined to contest and is reportedly resisting the move.
Other senior ministers are also believed to be under consideration. Rural Development Minister I Periyasamy, who is over 70 and represents Athoor, is reportedly among those the leadership wants to retire. He is also said to be reluctant.
If he does step aside, there is speculation that his son, Palani MLA IP Senthilkumar, could be considered for a ministerial role. At the same time, if no strong alternative candidate emerges in Athoor, Periyasamy may still be fielded.
Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam, MLA from Kattumannarkoil, has reportedly sought a ticket for his son Kathiravan. If his son is accommodated, he may opt out of contesting.
Similarly, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran, who represents Aruppukottai, is said to be unwilling to retire and has reportedly sought tickets for both himself and his son Ramesh.
Ministers such as S Regupathy (Natural Resources) and MP Saminathan (Tamil Development and Information) are also believed to be part of these discussions, with Regupathy reportedly seeking a ticket for his son R Annamalai.
Handlooms and Textiles Minister R Gandhi, who was recently criticised by the Chief Minister in a public forum, is also under scrutiny. Sources say the leadership is dissatisfied with his recent performance.
He is reportedly pushing for a ticket for his son Vinoth Gandhi, a figure who has already drawn criticism from within the party in Ranipet district.
Similarly, K Ponmudi, former minister and MLA from Tirukovilur, who was removed from the Tamil Nadu cabinet in April 2025, is unlikely to contest in this election, according to sources. He is said to have sought a ticket for his son Gautham Sigamani. With Ponmudi expected to step away from active politics, there is a strong possibility that Gautham Sigamani may be given an opportunity to contest this time.
On the other hand, ministers such as KN Nehru, Thangam Thennarasu, R Sakkarapani and P Moorthy are expected to be renominated, as no major alternative aspirants have emerged in their constituencies.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
