a k balakrishnan

Bhavani Assembly constituency in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, has historically seen contests between AIADMK, DMK, and PMK. AIADMK candidate K C Karuppanan won in 2016 with 85,748 votes, defeating the DMK. The constituency has experienced shifting political preferences over the years, with past victories for PMK and Tamil Maanila Congress.

Thamimun Ansari. M of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won the Chidambaram constituency with a margin of 5747 votes. He garnered 69739 votes, while All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate Pandian. K.A came second with 63992 votes.

Eleven women secured seats in the state legislative assembly, with six being first-time winners and four returning for a second term. Geetha Gopi, a three-time winner, is the most experienced among them. Notable victories included Usha Vijayan and Vidya Balakrishnan defeating sitting male ministers, and Fathima Tahaliya unseating the LDF convenor.

With the LDF's victory in Kerala, the race for Chief Minister heats up. A leaked list, shared by the BJP, suggests K C Venugopal might be favored by a majority of Congress MLAs. However, one MLA claims his preference was omitted, raising questions about the consultation process. V D Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala are also contenders.

Early trends for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections show a significant shift, with the Congress-led UDF projected for a commanding victory, leading in over 100 seats. The ruling LDF faces strong anti-incumbency, while the BJP remains a marginal player. This outcome suggests a return to Kerala's traditional pattern of alternating governments.

Velachery's upcoming election sees a tight race with incumbent Congress MLA facing anti-incumbency and strong challenges from NTK and TVK. AIADMK expresses confidence in its candidate's local connect. Residents demand solutions for perennial issues like flooding and poor infrastructure, with parties promising change amidst internal party friction.

The BJP has unveiled its candidate list for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, following internal discussions and cadre concerns. Notably, former state president K Annamalai is absent from this initial selection. Prominent figures like Tamilisai Soundararajan and Vanathi Srinivasan have been fielded from key constituencies, signaling the party's strategic approach for the upcoming polls.

Jeyaraj and Beniks were taken to the Sathankulam police in Tuticorin district late in the evening of June 19, 2020, on charges of having kept their shop open beyond the deadline during the Covid-19 lockdown. They were brutally assaulted by the policemen at night and were lodged in Kovilpatti sub-jail the next day. Beniks died of injuries at the Kovilpatti govt hospital on June 22, 2020, while his father Jeyaraj died on June 23, 2020.

With nominations closing Monday, a flurry of candidates, including ministers and senior leaders from LDF, UDF, and NDA, submitted their papers across Kerala on Saturday. Notable filings included P A Mohamed Riyas, Roshi Augustine, Ramesh Chennithala, K Surendran, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Over 500 nominations were received by Saturday evening.

A Madurai court convicted nine police personnel for the custodial torture and deaths of father-son duo Jeyaraj and Beniks in 2020. The duo was brutally assaulted by Sathankulam police for allegedly violating lockdown norms. The CBI investigation revealed graphic details of the torture and attempts to destroy evidence. Sentencing is scheduled for March 30.