Gokilamani. M

Dr. V. Gokilamani is a 28-year-old government doctor who represents one of the youngest faces in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Born on March 20, 1998, in Thirumalaikoundanpalayam village in Tirupur district, she comes from humble beginnings—her parents are agricultural laborers from the Arunthathiyar community, one of the most marginalized Dalit sub-castes. Despite these challenges, she completed her MBBS from government medical institutions and worked as a doctor at a primary health center in Nambiyampalayam before entering politics. In February 2026, Gokilamani resigned from her government posting to join the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and was fielded as the party's candidate for the Avanashi (SC) constituency. The DMK's decision to nominate her came after the AIADMK ceded the seat to the BJP, which fielded Union Minister L. Murugan. Her candidature is seen as DMK's strategy to promote youth leadership and appeal to Arunthathiyar voters in the region. In her campaign, she has focused on local development issues including water supply, public transport, and healthcare infrastructure. This is Gokilamani's first electoral contest, making her a political newcomer facing seasoned politicians in a constituency that has been an AIADMK stronghold, won by P. Dhanapal in both 2016 and 2021. She is contesting against multiple candidates including L. Murugan (BJP), Menaka (NTK), and S. Kamali (TVK). Her campaign messaging emphasizes her roots in the constituency and her commitment to addressing long-standing community concerns through her medical background and understanding of grassroots issues. Voters should note a significant discrepancy: the official affidavit data shows the candidate as a 49-year-old with 5th Pass education working in agriculture, while all media sources consistently identify her as a 28-year-old MBBS doctor. This raises questions about data accuracy or whether the affidavit pertains to a different person. The declared assets of Rs. 1.60 lakhs also appear modest for a government doctor, though this could be explained by her young age and recent entry into the profession. With no criminal cases and a clean record, she represents a fresh alternative in Tamil Nadu politics, though her lack of political experience remains both her unique selling point and her biggest challenge.