The election to the 234-member Assembly of the state of Tamil Nadu will be held on April 6, the Election Commission of India (EC) announced on Friday. Polling will be held in one phase. Votes will be counted on May 2. 

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The term of the fifteenth Tamil Nadu Assembly is coming to an end on May 24.  

In the last election, which was held in 2016, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won 135 seats and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won 88. Congress won eight while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) couldn’t win a single seat. 

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AIADMK’s Edappadi K Palaniswami is the CM of the state.

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The regional  parties have always dominated the politics and elections in the state. While visiting the state in January, BJP chief JP Nadda announced that the party will contest the election with the AIADMK. State’s ex-CM Karunanidhi’s successor — DMK’s MK Stalin will be eyeing his maiden CM term. 

Sasikala’s return to the state after serving a jail term in Karnataka, is keenly watched. It remains to be seen if the former close aide of AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa will enter the poll fray or will choose to back her formers party.