AIADMK has announced its line-up for Coimbatore district, where the party will contest nine Assembly constituencies. As in 2021, the alliance pattern continues, with the BJP contesting one seat; this time, the BJP has been allotted Coimbatore North instead of Coimbatore South.
In Coimbatore South, AIADMK will field sitting MLA Amman Arjunan for a second term. Speculation that he would step aside and be accommodated later, and that MGR Youth Wing joint secretary Vadavalli Chandrasekar might get the seat, did not materialise; Chandrasekar is instead said to be in line for a board chairmanship.
In Kinathukadavu, reports had suggested sitting MLA Damodharan was unwilling to contest citing health reasons, prompting the BJP to seek the constituency for a leader backed by K Annamalai. However, AIADMK retained the seat, and despite expectations that former minister SP Velumani’s brother-in-law Shanmugaraja could be considered, the party opted to give Damodharan another chance.
A notable change has been made in Mettupalayam, where former MLA O K Chinnaraj has been named in place of sitting MLA A K Selvaraj. Selvaraj was earlier expected to be moved to Gobichettipalayam, but party sources indicated he may be pacified with a Rajya Sabha nomination or a Lok Sabha ticket.
In Valparai, following the death of Amul Kandasamy, AIADMK has named Laxman Singh, the party’s Coimbatore suburban south district minority wing secretary and a known Velumani supporter. In other constituencies, sitting MLAs—S P Velumani (Thondamuthur), P R G Arun Kumar (Goundampalayam), Kandasamy (Sulur) and Jayaraman (Pollachi)—have been retained, with the party looking to defend its stronghold in the district.
