The number of women contesting Tamil Nadu's (a southern Indian state) 2026 Assembly elections has reached 443, representing 11% of all candidates — up sharply from just 11 women, or 1.4% of the field, in 1967. While the growth marks a significant long-term shift in political participation, women still occupy a small fraction of the overall candidate pool, which remains overwhelmingly male. The elections are also notable for the debut of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), a new party led by actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay, which released its manifesto this week pledging only "practical and implementable" policies.