S.Saravanan

S. Saravanan is a 37-year-old independent politician from Alandur, Tamil Nadu, with an 8th pass education and business background. He contested the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election from Alandur as an independent candidate but lost to T. M. Anbarasan of the DMK, securing 76,214 votes (32.06%) against the winner's 116,785 votes (49.12%). His political career has been marked by controversy, particularly allegations in 2017 of involvement in a cash-for-vote scandal where he was allegedly caught discussing payments to legislators, though he denied the claims stating the footage was doctored. Despite his loss in 2021, Saravanan appears to be continuing his political activities and is mentioned in connection with the upcoming 2026 elections. He has been critical of the ruling DMK government, claiming they have fulfilled only about 10% of their electoral promises and advocating for a state government more aligned with the BJP-led Centre for better development prospects. With declared assets of approximately Rs. 9.95 lakhs (all movable assets with no immovable property) and no criminal cases on record, his financial profile appears modest for a business person. However, the conflicting information in web searches about his identity and past political affiliations raises questions about transparency. Voters should be aware of both his grassroots political engagement as an independent candidate who managed to secure a significant vote share in 2021, as well as the unresolved controversies from his past that could impact his credibility and effectiveness as a public representative.