Pandi.V

V. Pandi is a 46-year-old agriculturalist contesting from the Andipatti constituency in Tamil Nadu on behalf of the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). With an 8th-grade education and assets worth approximately ₹1.94 crores, Pandi represents TVK's grassroots approach to politics in rural Tamil Nadu. However, his candidacy comes with significant legal baggage - he faces 9 criminal cases including serious charges like causing death by negligence, criminal intimidation, rioting, and assault with dangerous weapons. As a TVK candidate, Pandi is part of actor Vijay's ambitious political debut ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. TVK was founded in February 2024 with an ideology rooted in secular social justice, drawing inspiration from Ambedkar, Periyar, and Marxist thought. The party has positioned itself as an alternative to both the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK, promising to fight corruption and advocate for social justice. Pandi's association with TVK comes at a challenging time for the party. TVK has faced serious legal scrutiny following the tragic Karur rally stampede in September 2025 that claimed 41 lives, leading to FIRs against party leaders for culpable homicide and endangering lives. Despite these setbacks, TVK demonstrated early political viability when Vijay's organized fan clubs won 115 out of 169 contested local body seats in 2021. Voters in Andipatti should weigh Pandi's representation of TVK's anti-establishment politics against his extensive criminal record and the party's ongoing legal troubles. This election marks both Pandi's and TVK's first major electoral test in what promises to be a significant political experiment in Tamil Nadu.