Thoothukudi (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 30 : Tamil Nadu Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan on Monday said that the party will secure a victory from Tiruchendur Assembly constituency by 50,000 votes in the 2026 State Assembly elections.
Speaking to reporters in Thoothukudi, the DMK candidate from the Tiruchendur seat expressed confidence in DMK's return to power in the state.
He claimed, "The situation across Tamil Nadu is in favour of a DMK victory. With the support of the people, we will win by a large margin. In the last election, we won by a margin of 27,000 votes. In this election, we will secure victory with a margin of 50,000 votes."
Tiruchendur Assembly constituency is a major seat in Thoothukudi. In the 2021 elections, Anitha Radhakrishnan defeated the AIADMK candidate Radhakrishnan M to secure the seat.
Meanwhile, AIADMK leader and candidate from Thoothukudi, CT Chellapandian, on Sunday, launched a sharp attack on the DMK manifesto, alleging that Chief Minister MK Stalin has made "false promises" to mislead voters.
Reacting to the DMK's manifesto, Chellapandian said, "Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has now given 2,000 promises. However, during the 2021 Assembly elections, he had given 525 promises, and not even 25 of them have been fulfilled. Now, the 2,000 promises he has announced are completely false promises. They have become accustomed to lying."
The AIADMK leader further accused the DMK government of administrative failure and corruption, citing local infrastructure issues in Thoothukudi.
"In Thoothukudi, on Pakkil Odai Road, a cement road was laid, but within a few years it was completely damaged, and now a tar road is being laid. This shows how dysfunctional their administration is. Corruption is rampant," he said.
Chellapandian also targeted senior DMK leaders at the state and local levels, accusing them of engaging in corrupt practices. He alleged that "just as the Karunanidhi family is involved in corruption at the state level, similarly, Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan and her brother, who is the Mayor of Thoothukudi Corporation, are also engaging in severe corruption."
Earlier on Sunday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin unveiled a "Superstar Manifesto" centred on women-led welfare ahead of the Assembly elections. The plan, built on six pillars--women, family, youth, farmers, infrastructure, and governance--places the Illathu Arasi scheme at its core, offering Rs 8,000 to eligible women for household appliances.
Key promises include doubling the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai to Rs 2,000 per month, expanding healthcare coverage to Rs 10 lakh, and increasing pensions to Rs 2,000. Youth-focused measures feature skill training with stipends, free laptops, and job creation through major investments, while farmers are assured higher procurement prices and free pump sets.
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, covering a total of 234 constituencies in the State. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.