Shanmugam. A

A. Shanmugam, 62, is a DMK politician contesting from the Harur (SC) constituency in Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu. Declaring agriculture as his profession, he has total assets of approximately Rs. 1.63 crore with no criminal cases against him. His recent electoral record shows persistent challenges in this competitive constituency, having lost in both the 2021 and 2019 elections to AIADMK candidates. In 2021, the AIADMK's V. Sampathkumar won with 99,061 votes (50.46%), defeating Shanmugam and other candidates. Harur is a reserved constituency for Scheduled Caste candidates in a predominantly agrarian region that heavily depends on welfare schemes. The constituency has historically witnessed tight contests between DMK and AIADMK, with both parties alternating in power over the years. For the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, the DMK has once again fielded Shanmugam as their candidate, hoping to reclaim the seat in a political climate where pre-poll surveys favor the DMK-led alliance statewide. Shanmugam maintains a low public profile with minimal social media presence or media coverage found in available sources. His candidacy appears to be part of the DMK's broader strategy to consolidate support in SC-reserved constituencies across Tamil Nadu. Voters in Harur will need to assess whether his third consecutive attempt can succeed where previous campaigns fell short, particularly given the AIADMK's recent dominance in the constituency and the competitive multi-party dynamics that have characterized this seat historically.