Governance

This reserved constituency, carved out of the Perambur constituency, presents a mix of high-rise buildings along with lower-middle-class neighbourhoods. Named after Tamil scholar Thiru V. Kalyanasundaram, it comprises areas such as Pattalam, Otteri, Jamalia, Pulianthope, and parts of Perambur and Ayanavaram. It covers roughly around 7 sq km. As of 2019, it had around 2 lakh + voters, with a high proportion of Scheduled Caste communities. The constituency is 100% urban. It is primarily a residential area with many small workshops and a high population industrial/garment workers, making it a critical constituency for welfare-driven politics. Thiru Vi Ka Nagar (SC)…

Table of contentsPolitical Representation 2021 polling snapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: AMV Prabhakara RajaMLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read Located in south-western Chennai, Virugambakkam Assembly constituency is majorly a residential neighbourhood. A fast growing area, it is also home to one of the largest fruits and vegetable markets in Asia, Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex, and the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT). The constituency has a mixed urban profile, comprising middle-class households, daily-wage earners, and members of the film industry. Virugambakkam was formed in 2009, carved out of Villivakkam and Alandur constituencies. B Parthasarathy of DMDK became the first MLA…

Mylapore is one of the 16 constituencies in Chennai, Tamil Nadu’s largest district, encompassing areas such as Alwarpet, Santhome, Raja Annamalaipuram, and F.S. Estate and Mandaveli. Steeped in history yet firmly rooted in the present, the constituency blends cultural legacy with contemporary urban life. It is home to prominent places of worship—Mylapore is renowned for its temples, while Santhome is closely associated with churches. The area holds deep historical and spiritual significance: the revered Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar and the saint Peyalvar are believed to have been born here, and Santhome marks the martyrdom of Saint Thomas the Apostle, who preached…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 pollsTop candidates2021 Polling SnapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: Murthy R.IdreamMLA profileMLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read Royapuram is constituency number 17 in Chennai, located in the northern part of the city along the Coromandel Coast. It falls under the Chennai North Lok Sabha constituency. The constituency covers areas including Royapuram, Old Washermenpet, Mottai Garden, and parts of Kasimedu, and is home to Royapuram Railway Station, the first railway station of South India and the oldest surviving railway station in the country, opened in 1856. The constituency has deep roots as a coastal…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 pollsTop candidatesPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Also read: Egmore Assembly Constituency, located in central Chennai, is one of the city’s older and more densely populated constituencies. The Egmore Assembly constituency includes Egmore, Pudupet, Chintadripet, Chetpet, and parts of Purasawalkam. With a mix of long-established residential areas, commercial pockets and institutional zones, it also sees a steady floating population coming in for work, education and healthcare.In Egmore, a few issues have come up repeatedly in recent years including flooding during the monsoon, especially in low-lying streets. Water supply remains uneven across pockets, with some residents relying…

Madhavaram — located in North Chennai and geographically part of Tiruvallur District — is one of the 16 Assembly constituencies of Chennai and serves as a key gateway for road travel between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. From the 1960s onward, Madhavaram has remained in the limelight for one reason or another. What began as a modest milk-producing hub gradually transformed into a major urban node. The visionary leadership of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj led to the establishment of the Madhavaram Milk Colony—a move that laid the foundation for the area’s long-term growth. Over the decades, this steady progress…

Table of contentsPolitical Representation2021 Polling snapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: Dr Ezhilan NMLA profileKey citizen demandsAlso read: Thousand Lights Assembly constituency sits in the central core of Chennai and brings together a stretch of older neighbourhoods and some of the city’s most high-profile residential and commercial pockets like Nungambakkam, Poes Garden and Gopalapuram.This constituency has deep ties to Tamil Nadu’s political and cultural elite. It has counted leaders like M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa among its voters and continues to be associated with high-profile residents such as Rajinikanth. It was also once a key electoral base for Chief Minister…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationTop candidates 2021 Polling snapshotPrevious Results: 2021 Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA:  KP Shankar MLA profileMLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read: Located in the northernmost reaches of the city, Thiruvottiyur encompasses key localities such as Manali, Wimco Nagar, Kathivakkam, and Kaladipet, acting as a gateway where historic religious landmarks like the Thyagarajaswamy Temple meet sprawling industrial complexes. The area is home to a diverse workforce, primarily comprising industrial laborers, small-scale entrepreneurs, and a significant fishing community residing in over 20 coastal villages. It is frequently in the news for toxic air and groundwater pollution, recurring oil leaks, and the depletion…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 pollsTop candidates2021 Polling SnapshotPrevious Results 2021Previous Results 2016Incumbent MLA: Ebenezer J J (aka) John Ebenezer JMLA profileMLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read: Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar, commonly known as RK Nagar, is an assembly constituency located in the northern coastal part of Chennai. The area is characterised by fisher community settlements, port-linked labour colonies and informal housing clusters. The population depends highly on welfare delivery systems. Narrow streets, crowded residential clusters, coastal roads and industrial zones are major characteristics of the area. Bus connections from Central to North Chennai are strong, however better connection…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 PollsTop Candidates2021 Polling SnapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: A Vetriazhagan .MLA profileMLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read Villivakkam, a prominent urban constituency in the city, presents a mix of long-established, densely-populated low-income residential areas, an industrial cluster, and rapidly expanding middle-class areas, some of which have given way to apartment complexes in recent years. Once the largest constituency in the city, Villivakkam has shrunk in size as many constituencies, including Ambattur, Kolathur, Madhavaram, Maduravoyal, and Virugambakkam, were carved out of it following the delimitation process. Areas that come under Villivakam including Villivakkam…