S. Sampathkumar

V. Sampathkumar is a sitting MLA from Tamil Nadu with a proven electoral track record, though his affidavit lists him as S. Sampathkumar. He won the Harur constituency twice consecutively - first in a 2019 by-election and again in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, both times as an AIADMK candidate with 50.46% vote share (99,061 votes). However, his political journey has been marked by party instability. He briefly left AIADMK on January 3, 2017, only to rejoin four days later on January 7, 2017. He subsequently supported DMK in the 2019, 2022, and 2024 elections before joining Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in December 2025, where he was appointed Party Campaign Secretary. Now contesting from Coimbatore North constituency in the 2026 elections, Sampathkumar faces a significant challenge moving from his Harur stronghold to a new constituency with 291,533 registered electors. He's competing in a high-profile triangular contest against BJP's Vanathi Srinivasan and DMK's Senthamil Selvan in what has historically been an AIADMK-dominated seat. His campaign reportedly focuses on local issues including infrastructure delays, water supply concerns, and industrial development. Despite his electoral success in Harur, Sampathkumar has limited visible media presence and no identified social media profiles. No controversies, criminal cases, or corruption allegations have been reported against him. His declared assets of Rs. 62.62 lakhs appear modest for a sitting MLA, though without previous affidavit data for comparison, it's difficult to assess financial trajectory. The discrepancy between his affidavit name (S. Sampathkumar) and widespread media references (V. Sampathkumar) raises questions about identity verification. Voters should consider his proven ability to win elections with strong margins, balanced against his history of frequent party switches and lack of established presence in the Coimbatore North constituency. His move from AIADMK to TVK, a relatively new party, represents a significant political gamble in a constituency where he's an outsider facing well-entrenched opponents.