Sengottaiyan will contest the 2026 Assembly election from Gobichettipalayam for the ninth time, this time as a candidate of TVK with the party’s whistle symbol. He had earlier won eight times from the constituency as an AIADMK MLA on the twin-leaves symbol.
With major parties stepping up election activity, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has begun campaigning, while Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin is set to launch his campaign on March 31 in Thiruvarur. Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman, who announced candidates earlier, has also intensified outreach.
TVK leader Vijay has now announced candidates, and Gobichettipalayam has been allotted to Sengottaiyan, described as a prominent and familiar political face. Sengottaiyan, who was dismissed from AIADMK after differences with EPS, is returning to the same constituency under a new party banner.
In terms of his overall electoral career, the 2026 poll will be his 10th contest: he first entered the Assembly in 1977 from Sathyamangalam, a constituency that was later removed, and subsequently served eight terms as Gobichettipalayam MLA.
Gobichettipalayam, seen as a VIP constituency, is set for a four-way fight. AIADMK has named V.P. Prabhu as its candidate, DMK has fielded Nallasivam, and Naam Tamilar Katchi has announced Seethalakshmi, alongside TVK’s Sengottaiyan.
