India Today to host Tamil Nadu Round Table in Chennai on Feb 11 ahead of Assembly polls

New Delhi: India Today will host the Tamil Nadu Round Table in Chennai on February 11, with a line-up of political leaders and commentators as the state heads into the 2026 Assembly election cycle.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin is scheduled to open the day with an address on governance and the state’s development priorities, according to details shared by the organisers.

The agenda includes a multi-party discussion featuring leaders from the DMK, AIADMK, BJP, Congress and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on campaign narratives, language politics, Hindutva and voter sentiment, as per the event note carried by industry publications.

A women’s panel is also planned with BJP leader Khushbu Sundar, AIADMK leader Apsara Reddy and DMK’s Dr Kanimozhi NVN Somu, focusing on women’s representation and participation in Tamil Nadu politics. Political commentator Swaminathan Gurumurthy, editor of Thuglak, is also listed to speak.

The programme includes a session titled ‘The Vijay Factor’, with representatives from TVK and the major parties to discuss the link between popular culture and electoral politics in the state.

Another key face-off on the slate is a discussion on the BJP’s prospects in the south, featuring former BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai and Congress MP Karti Chidambaram.

On governance, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and IT Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan are expected to speak on reforms in education and digital governance. DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran is also listed for a session on welfare politics and policy choices.

The day is scheduled to close with addresses by AIADMK general secretary and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, as per the published line-up.

The Round Table is being positioned around the run-up to the 2026 Assembly election, with the current Assembly term ending in May 2026.