A. Viswanathan

Natham R. Viswanathan, born December 11, 1949, is a 72-year-old senior AIADMK politician currently serving as Deputy General Secretary of the party. He built his political career through four consecutive electoral victories from Natham constituency (1999, 2001, 2006, 2011), establishing himself as a reliable AIADMK strongman in the region. During his 17-year legislative career, he held two significant ministerial portfolios: Transport Minister from May 14, 2001 to May 12, 2006, and Minister for Electricity and Prohibition and Excise from May 16, 2011 to May 23, 2016. His political trajectory faced a setback in 2016 when he contested from Athoor constituency instead of his traditional Natham base and lost to DMK's I. Periyasamy by a substantial margin of 27,147 votes. This defeat marked the end of his unbroken winning streak and his direct presence in the legislative assembly. Despite this electoral loss, he continues to hold a senior organizational position within AIADMK as Deputy General Secretary, indicating his continued influence in party affairs. While no specific controversies or legal issues involving Viswanathan personally were found in available sources, the AIADMK as a party has faced multiple corruption allegations in recent years, including CBI raids on ministerial residences, cash-for-jobs scams, and investigations into the state liquor corporation. These broader party-level issues have created a challenging political environment for AIADMK candidates. Voters should note the discrepancy between his declared profession as 'Agriculture' and his documented 25-year career as a full-time politician and minister. With declared assets of Rs. 6.78 crores and liabilities of Rs. 3.09 crores, and at age 72, this election represents a comeback attempt for a veteran politician seeking to reclaim his legislative presence after an eight-year absence from the assembly.