Chennai: The Kolathur Assembly constituency in North Chennai is once again in the spotlight in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with Chief Minister M. K. Stalin seeking to retain a seat he has held since 2011.

Located in the north-western part of the city, Kolathur was carved out as a separate constituency in 2008 and has since emerged as a key political stronghold of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Stalin shifted here from Thousand Lights ahead of the 2011 elections, a move that proved crucial at a time when the party was facing strong anti-incumbency.

Despite the DMK's defeat in 2011 following the 2G scam controversy, Stalin managed to win Kolathur in a tightly fought contest, defeating Saidai Duraisamy of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam by a margin of just 2,734 votes. The result remains under legal challenge.

Over the years, Stalin has consolidated his hold on the constituency, building a strong local connect through regular outreach and engagement with residents. In the 2016 Assembly elections, he expanded his winning margin significantly, defeating AIADMK's JCD Prabhakar by 37,730 votes. His dominance further strengthened in 2021, when he won by a margin of 70,384 votes against AIADMK candidate Aadi Rajaram, coinciding with his rise as Chief Minister.

In the 2026 elections, Stalin faces a familiar contest, with Kolathur continuing to witness a largely bipolar fight between the DMK and the AIADMK. The AIADMK has fielded P. Santhana Krishnan, a real estate professional who had previously contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from North Chennai as an Independent, giving him some visibility in the constituency.