Melur Assembly constituency in Madurai district is an AIADMK bastion with a strong rural and agrarian base. In the 2021 Assembly elections, AIADMK’s P. Selvam (alias) Periyapullan retained the seat with 83,291 votes, defeating INC’s T. Ravichandran, who secured 48,129 votes. The margin was 35,162 votes. In the 2016 Assembly elections, AIADMK’s P. Selvam (alias) Periyapullan won with 88,077 votes, defeating DMK’s A. P. Ragupathy, who received 68,354 votes. The margin was 19,723 votes. In the 2011 Assembly elections, AIADMK’s R. Samy won with 85,869 votes, defeating DMK’s R. Rani, who secured 61,407 votes. The margin was 24,462 votes. 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.