Bodinayakanur in Theni district is a key political constituency and the home turf of former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam. In the 2021 Assembly elections, AIADMK’s O. Panneerselvam won with 1,00,050 votes, defeating DMK’s Thanga Tamil Selvan by a margin of 11,021 votes. In the 2016 Assembly elections, O. Panneerselvam of the AIADMK secured victory with 99,531 votes, defeating DMK’s S. Lakshmanan by 15,608 votes. In the 2011 Assembly elections, AIADMK’s O. Panneerselvam won with 95,235 votes, again defeating DMK’s S. Lakshmanan. Historically, since the 1977 elections, the AIADMK has dominated the constituency with seven victories, while the DMK has won twice. The 234-seat Assembly election in Tamil Nadu will see the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by Chief Minister M K Stalin, take on the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and a resurgent BJP-led alliance. The campaign is centred around issues such as welfare schemes, law and order, and the broader debate between Dravidian political identity and national integration narratives. While the DMK government is highlighting its record on industrial growth and social justice, the opposition has targeted it over allegations of corruption and concerns about power shortages.