News18 Network Chennai Town Hall set for Feb 23 ahead of Tamil Nadu polls

New Delhi: News18 Network will host its Chennai Town Hall on February 23, positioning the event around Tamil Nadu’s political and policy priorities as the state heads towards the 2026 Assembly elections.

The Town Hall, scheduled from 10 am onwards, is expected to feature a mix of ruling party and Opposition leaders, along with voices from industry, academia and culture.

Kingmakers IAS Academy, Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles, Reliance Industries, Bandhan Mutual Fund and Air Asia are the partners for the News18 Network Town Chennai Town Hall.

The network said the Town Hall will be carried on CNN-News18 and News18 Tamil across TV and digital platforms.

Chief Minister MK Stalin is slated to headline a session on the theme “The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu”. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is also expected to participate, alongside Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami.

The announced line-up includes Industries Minister TRB Rajaa and IT and Digital Services Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, as well as former Tamil Nadu BJP state president K Annamalai. The network has also listed Tamilisai Soundararajan, former Governor of Tamil Nadu, among speakers, and a separate segment with composer Anirudh Ravichander.

An innovation-focused panel is expected to include IIT Madras director V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association of India president Dr Sasikumar Gendham, with AI and knowledge ecosystems among the themes flagged by the organisers.

Speaking about the upcoming event, Rahul Shivshankar, Editorial Affairs Director, CNN-News18, said, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall, anchored around the theme ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu,’ reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth. Our endeavour is to facilitate conversations that are credible, insightful and future-focused.”

Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, said, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment, the News18 Network Townhall in Chennai brings together leaders, policymakers and voices from across the spectrum to examine the pressing issues shaping the state’s direction. As India’s most-watched news network, we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations that help citizens engage more deeply with the choices that will define the next chapter of governance and growth.”

Vivek Narayan, Managing Editor – South, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect. Ahead of the state’s crucial election cycle, the Townhall aims to present diverse voices and viewpoints that are relevant to people’s lives, bringing together ideas that will shape the state’s political and developmental discourse in the years ahead.”