After a long time, the DMK is contesting in all the six Assembly constituencies in the district leaving only Vedasandur to its ally Congress.
It was very cautious in selecting candidates for all the six constituencies giving top priority to personal familiarity and community strength.
Except in Athoor and Oddanchatram, senior leaders and new faces have been given an opportunity.
After a gap of 15 years, the DMK has fielded former Dindigul Municipal Chairman M. Basheer Ahmad (60) to contest in Dindigul. He has served as State vice-president of LPF, labour wing of the DMK. He was the Dindigul town secretary thrice and Municipal Chairman for 10 years.
He lost the 2001 election by a slender margin of 2,779 votes to the CPI (M).
Palani has been offered to Dindigul East secretary I.P. Senthil Kumar, son of former Revenue Minister I. Periasamy.
A second chance has been given to him as he lost Palani to AIADMK rival K.S.N. Venugopalu in 2011 by a thin margin.
In the absence of Minister for Power and four-time MLA R. Viswanathan, Natham has gone to M.A. Andi Ambalam, son of the seven-time MLA and Congress veteran M. Andi Ambalam. After his father’s death, son Andi Ambalam was defeated by Mr. Viswanathan in the 1998 by-election. After 1998, it has become a bastion of AIAMDK and is held by Mr. Viswanathan. The Power Minister has been shifted to Athoor.
Native of Palappanaickenpatti, Mr. Andi Ambalam (59), an agriculturist, served as union councillor in 1996 and 2001. He contested as TMC candidate 1998 and lost to Mr. Viswanathan. Another chance was given to him by the DMK in 2006 and he lost it by a narrow margin of 3,500 votes. He contested again in Natham in 2011 as an Independent and garnered 29,000 votes and lost. Now he is the party's Dindigul West district treasurer.
After 1991, DMK is contesting in Nilakottai again by fielding lawyer M. Anbazhagan. He started his political career as youth wing organiser and district youth wing deputy organiser and Nilakottai lawyers’ wing organiser.
His father A. Muniandi was Nilakottai MLA in 1967 and 1971.
