TN Polls: NTK's Jallikattu Rajesh files nomination with bulls, goats

Jallikattu Rajesh, NTK's candidate for Thiruverumbur, filed his nomination for the Tamil Nadu polls with bulls and goats. He kicked off his campaign by cleaning a local lake, criticizing the sitting DMK MLA for neglecting the water body.

NTK Candidate's Unique Nomination and Campaign

Accompanied by bulls, goats, and roosters, along with traditional drum beats. Jallikattu Rajesh, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate who is contesting from the Thiruverumbur Assembly constituency for the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections, filed his nomination.

Earlier, Jallikattu Rajesh began his campaign by participating in the cleaning drive of hyacinth in the Mavadi Kulam lake. "Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi from DMK, who is currently the sitting MLA and a minister representing this constituency, has not taken any steps to desilt or clean the lake. Despite submitting petitions multiple times, no action has been taken so far," he told ANI earlier. "Therefore, as part of the election campaign, I have taken up the task of cleaning the lake. Sustained efforts would be made to clean, conserve, and maintain the water body, ensuring long-term water security and ecological balance for the region," he added.

Parties Release Manifestos Amid Political Face-off

Earlier in the month, NTK released the party's manifesto for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in Chennai, presenting a governance model rooted in Tamil identity, self-sufficiency, and ecological preservation. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.

A day earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin unveiled what the party termed a "Superstar Manifesto" for the 2026 Assembly elections, triggering a sharp political face-off with the opposition AIADMK and BJP, who dismissed the document as a "copy-paste" exercise and accused the ruling party of indulging in "sticker politics," even as DMK leaders defended it as a comprehensive, people-driven roadmap anchored in the Dravidian model.

Electoral Alliances and a Three-Way Contest

The main electoral contest is expected between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which also includes Congress, DMDK, and the VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies.

Actor-turned-politician Vijay is set to make his electoral debut with TVK, attempting to turn the upcoming elections into a three-way contest. (ANI)

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