The DMK led by party President MK Stalin has chosen to ally with multiple parties ahead of the Lok Sabha elections this year. His alliance with Congress was a given, considering that he declared his support for the party's President Rahul Gandhi for the Prime Ministerial post. The DMK has chosen to contest from 20 seats while the Congress got 10, including a seat in Puducherry. The CPI, CPI (M) and VCK got two seats each while MDMK, IJK, IUML and KMDK were given one seat to contest.
1. Arakkonam: S Jagathrakshakan (DMK)
He is a three-time MP, having won in Arakkonam twice previously and a prominent Tamil businessman. Jagathrakshakan was Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting in UPA-II between 2009 and 2012. Thereafter, he was Union MoS for New and Renewable Energy. He lost the previous Lok Sabha election he contested in, from Sriperumbudur to an AIADMK candidate.
S Jagathrakshakan (DMK)
2. Arani - Dr. MK Vishnu Prasad (Congress)
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee's newly appointed Working President is contesting from this constituency. Interestingly, he is also the brother-in-law of PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss
Dr. MK Vishnu Prasad (Congress)
The son of former Union Cabinet Minister Murasoli Maran has contested in the Chennai Central seat for the last three times and has represented the constituency in 2004 and 2009. He was Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology in UPA-I between 2004 and 2007, and then Union Textile Minister between 2009 and 2011 in UPA-II. He is facing trial in the illegal telephone exchange case.
4. Chennai North - Arcot Kalanidhi (DMK)
Arcot Kalinidhi is the son of former state Electricity Minister Arcot Veerasamy. He is a doctor by profession and heads the medical wing of the DMK. He is making his electoral debut.
Arcot Kalanidhi (DMK)
5. Chennai South - Thamizhachi Thangapandian (DMK)
Late leader Thangapandian's daughter Sumathi alias Tamilachi Thangapandian is a poet, dancer and Tamil writer. The 2019 Lok Sabha election is her first electoral race.
Thamizhachi Thangapandian (DMK)
6. Chidambaram (SC) - Thol Thirumalavan (VCK)
In this reserved constituency, VCK chief Thol Thirumalavan will be contesting as part of the DMK alliance. While he became a first-time MP in 2009 after contesting from Chidambaram, he lost the subsequent 2014 polls to the AIADMK candidate.
7. Coimbatore - PR Natarajan CPI(M)
The CPI(M) leader was elected an MP from Coimbatore in 2009 but was relegated to the fifth position in the 2014 polls.
PR Natarajan CPI(M)
8. Cuddalore - TRPS Ramesh (DMK)
The DMK's TRPS Ramesh is a cashew exporter. He will be facing off against a PMK candidate
9. Dharmapuri - S Senthil Kumar (DMK)
The DMK candidate who is also a doctor by qualification will be facing off with PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss.
10. Dindigul - P Velusamy (DMK)
DMK's P Velusamy will be seeking votes from the Dindugal constituency.
11. Erode - A Ganeshamurthi (MDMK)
Ganeshamurthi is a two-time MP, who had represented Palani in the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 and Erode in 2009.
12. Kallakurichi - Gautama Sigamani (DMK)
Gautama Sigamani is long-time DMK leader and former state Higher Education Minister Ponmudi's son and will be contesting for the first time from Kallakurichi.
13. Kancheepuram(SC) - G Selvam (DMK)
Selvam contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Kancheepuram but lost to the AIADMK candidate.
14. Kanyakumari – H Vasanthakumar (Congress)
Vasanthakumar, founder and chairman of Vasanth and Co, a home retail appliances store holds the distinction of being the richest candidate in the TN polls this time around. A two-time MLA, he is presently representing the Nanguneri constituency of Tirunelveli district. He had unsuccessfully contested in the 2014 Lok Sabha Election, losing to BJP’s Pon Radhakrishnan, who is seeking a re-election. He is also the uncle of BJP state President and Thoothukudi candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan.
H Vasanthakumar (Congress)
15. Karur - Jothimani (Congress)
Congress nominee Jothimani will be up against Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha and AIADMK’s Thambidurai, who is the sitting Karur MP. She has lost both the State assembly election and the Lok Sabha poll from the constituency in 2011 and 2014 respectively.
Jothimani (Congress)
16. Krishnagiri - Dr A Chellakumar (Congress)
Chellakumar is a former MLA from Anna Nagar (1991) and T Nagar (1996) in Chennai and Congress’s party in-charge of Goa. He had contested in the 2014-General elections from Krishnagiri and came fourth.
17. Madurai - S Venkatesan (CPI(M))
A Sahitya Akademi awardee, S Venkatesan is a Tamil writer. He will be contesting as a CPI(M) candidate from Madurai in 2019 marking his political debut.
18. Mayiladuthurai - S Ramalingam (DMK)
A DMK veteran, S Ramalingam is a four-time MLA from the Thiruvidaimurudhur constituency.
19. Nagapattinam(SC) - M Selvarasu (CPI)
M Selvarasu is a three-time CPI MP from Nagapattinam, having won in 1989. 1996 and 1998.
20. Namakkal - AKP Chinnaraj (Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi)
Chinnaraj, who will contesting on the DMK’s rising sun symbol, and has been a member of the KMDK for the past ten years. In 1996, he had contested as an independent candidate from the Rasipuram Assembly constituency, but lost to the AIADMK.
21. Nilgiris (SC) - A Raja (DMK)
Former Union Minister A Raja is a four-time MP, having won from Perambalur on three occasions before moving to Nilgiris in 2009. He, however, lost to the AIADMK in 2014. The Propaganda Secretary of the DMK, A Raja was investigated for his involvement in the 2G Spectrum Scam during his tenure as the Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology. He was acquitted by a special court in 2012 but this has been challenged by the CBI in the Delhi High Court.
22. Perambalur - TR Pachamuthu (Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi)
Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi Chief and the Chancellor of SRM, TR Pachamuthu who was part of the BJP-led alliance in 2014, switched to the DMK-led alliance this time. He was arrested by Chennai police in 2016 for a cheating case.
TR Pachamuthu (Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi)
23. Pollachi - K Shanmugasundaram (DMK)
DMK named K Shanmugasundaram as its candidate in the Pollachi constituency. Shanmugasundaram had contested in the 2009 general elections and lost to AIADMK’s K Sugumar.
24. Ramanathapuram - K Navas Kani (IUML)
K Navas Kani is the candidate contesting in Ramanathapuram. He belongs to the Indian Union Muslim League, which is an ally of the DMK for the upcoming polls. He will be up against the BJP’s Nainar Nagendran.
25. Salem - SR Parthiban (DMK)
SR Parthiban is a former MLA from Mettur. He quit the DMDK and joined DMK in 2016, contesting in the state assembly elections from Mettur and lost.
26. Sivaganga - Karti Chidambaram (Congress)
The Congress candidate for Sivaganga constituency is Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader and former union minister P Chidambaram. He had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, losing to the AIADMK. He has been allegedly involved in several cases including a money laundering case related to a company named INX Media. Karti is up against BJP’s H Raja.
27. Sriperumbudur - TR Baalu (DMK)
A five-time MP and a former union minister from the DMK, TR Baalu will be contesting from Sriperumbudur in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He has served as Environment Minister, Shipping Minister, and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas.
TR Baalu (DMK)
28. Tenkasi (SC) - Dhanush M Kumar (DMK)
Son of former Rajapalayam MLA Dhanushkodi, Dhanush M Kumar is DMK’s candidate from Tenkasi. A lawyer by qualification, Dhanush M Kumar’s win will earn DMK, its first ever win in the Tenkasi Lok Sabha constituency.
29. Thanjavur - SS Palanimanickam (DMK)
SS Palanimanickam is the Thanjavur district secretary of the DMK and a five-time MP from Thanjavur. He was also Union Minister of State for Finance between 2004 and 2009.
30. Theni - EVKS Elangovan (Congress)
EVKS Elangovan is a veteran Congressman, who was the Union Minister for Textiles between 2004 and 2009. He was elected from the Gobichettipalayam Lok Sabha constituency in 2004. He contested from the Erode seat in 2009 and lost to MDMK’s Ganeshmurthi.
31. Thiruvallur (SC) - K Jayakumar (Congress)
Congress Working President K Jayakumar will contest from the Thiruvallur Lok Sabha constituency as a part of the DMK alliance.
32. Thoothukudi - Kanimozhi (DMK)
The Rajya Sabha MP and daughter of the late DMK party chief and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, will be contesting her first direct election. She will be one of the two women contesting the polls on DMK tickets this time. The journalist-turned-politician will face off against BJP’s Tamilisai Soundararajan. Kanimozhi, who was accused in the 2G spectrum case, was acquitted by the special court.
33. Tiruchirapalli-
Former union minister and ex-President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee S Thirunavukkarasar will be contesting from the Tiruchirapalli Lok Sabha seat as a Congress candidate. He had contested as a BJP candidate in Ramanathapuram in 2009 and lost.
34. Tirunelveli - S Ganathiraviam (DMK)
S Ganathiraviam will contest from the Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency representing the DMK.
35. Tiruppur - K Subbaraiyan (CPI)
The former two-time MLA and MP, K Subburayan will contest from Tiruppur. He was formerly elected to the Lok Sabha from the Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat in 2004.
36. Tiruvannamalai - CN Annadurai (DMK)
CN Annadurai, who has been allotted the Tiruvannamalai Lok Sabha seat, will be contesting in his second parliamentary elections. In 2014, he lost to AIADMK’s R Vanaroja.
37. Vellore - Kadir Anand (DMK)
DMK Treasurer and former state Law Minister Durai Murugan's son Kadir Anand will be contesting from Vellore. He is making his electoral debut.
Kadir Anand (DMK)
38. Villupuram(SC) -D Ravikumar
In this reserved constituency, writer and VCK general secretary D Ravikumar is contesting from this constituency on the DMK's rising sun symbol. He is a former MLA.
39. Virudhunagar - Manickam Tagore (Congress)
Manickam Tagore, the Congress Secretary for Karnataka, was an MP from the Virudhunagar Lok Sabha seat in 2009.
40. Puducherry (Union Territory) – V Vaithilingam (Congress)
Former two-time Chief Minister and former Speaker of Puducherry Legislative Assembly, V Vaithilingam will contest from the Puducherry Lok Sabha constituency as a representative of the Congress.