Union Minister Ramdas Athawale confirmed that the Republican Party of India (RPI) will contest 18 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled for April 23, 2026. Despite this independent run, the RPI will continue to support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the remaining 216 seats. Athawale explained that the party sought three to four seats in the NDA's seat-sharing arrangement but was not granted any. He noted that Edappadi K. Palaniswami, a prominent NDA leader, was unable to fulfill this request. Athawale highlighted that the primary competition in the elections would be between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), suggesting that smaller parties like the RPI may not significantly impact the overall political landscape. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, 2026.