Confident of winning 210 constituencies: Former AIADMK minister SP Velumani ahead of TN polls

Addressing a press conference, he said, "AIADMK and its alliance candidates would secure victory", claiming that the party would win 210 constituencies and that Edappadi K Palaniswami would become Chief Minister.

Referring to the legacy of MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, he highlighted that the party has announced the names of its candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections under the leadership of the party's general secretary Edapaddi K Palaniswami, except for Chennai.

Velumani said, "Candidates for other constituencies have already been announced, and the names of candidates from alliance parties will be announced soon", he added.

Velumani emphasized that Coimbatore has always been an AIADMK "stronghold", highlighting that several major development projects over the past 50 years were implemented during AIADMK rule.

Key projects mentioned include the Avinashi flyover, Athikadavu-Avinashi drinking water scheme and the airport expansion project.

Criticizing the DMK government, they alleged that women do not feel safe under its rule and assured that pending projects for Coimbatore would be implemented soon.

When asked about the state of taxes under the DMK government, he said, "People are well aware of the situation," alleging that even garbage is being taxed and that voters would give a fitting reply in the elections.

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Wednesday released its first list of 23 candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections.

The list was announced by party General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who is also among the candidates named in the initial list.

Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The current tenure of the 234-member state assembly ends on May 10.

The main electoral contest is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which includes Congress, DMDK, and other parties, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), with BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies, looking to unseat the ruling alliance. (ANI)