M.P.Saminathan

M.P. Saminathan, 61, is a seasoned DMK politician currently serving as Minister for Information & Publicity in Tamil Nadu's 16th Legislative Assembly. Born in Erode and educated at PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore, he has been in politics for over three decades, declaring his profession as agriculture and business with total assets of approximately ₹28 crores. His political journey began early, winning his first MLA seat from Vellakoil constituency in 1996 at age 32 by defeating former minister Durai Ramasamy, and subsequently achieving a hat-trick of wins in 1996, 2001, and 2006 from the same constituency. However, his electoral record shows vulnerability. After Vellakoil constituency became defunct in 2011, Saminathan contested from Tiruppur and lost. He faced another defeat in 2016 from Kangayam before finally winning that seat in 2021 with 94,197 votes (47.38%), defeating AIADMK's A.S. Ramalingam by approximately 7,000 votes. Throughout his career, he has remained loyal to the DMK without any party switches and previously served as Minister for Highways and Minor Ports during 2006-2011. A significant concern for voters is the criminal case declared in his affidavit involving serious charges under IPC sections 387 (extortion), 420 (cheating), 342 (wrongful confinement), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 120B (criminal conspiracy). The details, current status, and outcome of this case are not publicly available in accessible sources. While the broader DMK government faces corruption allegations from opposition parties, including BJP's claims of an ₹888 crore cash-for-jobs scam and ED investigations into alleged financial irregularities, no specific controversies directly linking Saminathan to these allegations appear in public records. Voters in Kangayam should consider both his long political experience and ministerial roles against the declared criminal charges and the mixed electoral record showing losses in two consecutive elections before his 2021 victory. His financial declaration of ₹28 crores in assets appears consistent with his stated professions of agriculture and business, though liabilities of over ₹3 crores are also declared.