P.Venkatesan

P. Venkatesan, 54, is a stone quarry labor leader from Arcot constituency in Tamil Nadu, contesting on a Tamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) ticket. With a 5th-grade education, Venkatesan represents the working-class roots that his party claims to champion. He has declared assets worth Rs. 1.10 crore, including movable assets of Rs. 23 lacs and immovable assets of Rs. 87 lacs, with liabilities of approximately Rs. 15 lacs. His affidavit shows no criminal cases, presenting a clean legal record. Venkatesan's political journey has been marked by persistence rather than success. He contested the 2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election from Arcot as an independent candidate, losing to DMK's J. L. Eswarappan who secured 84,182 votes (41.39%). He repeated his attempt in 2021, again as an independent, and again lost to the same DMK candidate who received 103,885 votes (50.06%). His political activities have been primarily centered around local issues and advocacy within the Arcot region, though specific achievements or development work have not been documented in available sources. Venkatesan is now affiliated with TVK, a party founded by T. Velmurugan in 2012 after splitting from Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). The party positions itself around Tamil identity, social justice, and regional development. However, TVK recently exited the DMK-led alliance ahead of the 2026 elections due to disagreements over seat-sharing and unmet demands including a caste census and reservations for the Vanniyar community. This political realignment adds uncertainty to Venkatesan's electoral prospects. Voters should know that Venkatesan brings grassroots labor leadership experience but lacks a proven legislative track record, having never won an election. His clean affidavit and working-class background may appeal to some voters, but his repeated electoral defeats and limited public visibility raise questions about his political viability and ability to represent Arcot effectively in the state assembly.