Krishnamurthy. M

Krishnamurthy, popularly known as 'Agri S. S. Krishnamurthy', is a 54-year-old politician now contesting as an Independent from Kalasapakkam constituency in Tamil Nadu. Born on March 23, 1959, in Elathur village of Kalasapakkam taluk, he belongs to the Thuluva Vellalar community and is an agricultural graduate - which earned him the nickname 'Agri'. He is married to Vijayakumari with three children and previously served as Chairman of the Kalasapakkam Panchayat Union before entering state-level politics. Krishnamurthy's political career has been primarily with the AIADMK, where he served as MLA from Kalasapakkam for two consecutive terms (2006-2016). He won convincingly in 2006 with 48.23% votes and improved his performance in 2011 with 58.95% vote share, defeating opponents by substantial margins. Under Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's government (2011-2015), he held four different ministerial portfolios: Minister for Food (2011-2012), Commercial Taxes (briefly), Education (short tenure), and Agriculture (May 2014-March 2015). However, he was eventually dropped from the cabinet. The politician's career took an unexpected turn when he did not contest from Kalasapakkam in 2016 and 2021. Instead, he contested and won from Polur constituency in 2021, still as an AIADMK candidate. His current decision to contest as an Independent from his original stronghold of Kalasapakkam raises questions about his relationship with AIADMK. There are significant discrepancies in his affidavit: he declares '5th Pass' education versus documented agricultural graduation, and lists 'Agriculture' as profession without mentioning his extensive political and ministerial career spanning nearly two decades. Voters should note that while Krishnamurthy has proven electoral success and ministerial experience in Kalasapakkam, his modest asset declaration of Rs. 26 lakhs appears inconsistent with a decade-long career as MLA and minister. His shift from AIADMK to Independent status, after being dropped from the cabinet and moving to Polur constituency, suggests complex party dynamics that voters should consider when evaluating his candidacy.