Devastin Augustin. G

Devastin Augustin G., 43, is a seasoned Tamil Nadu politician with a turbulent career spanning multiple parties and four electoral victories. He began his political career with the AIADMK and rose to become Transport Minister from 2011 to 2015, though he was dropped from the cabinet in July 2015. He was elected MLA from Aravakurichi constituency in 2016 and played a crucial role in saving the government after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's demise. His career took a dramatic turn on 18 September 2017 when he was among 18 MLAs disqualified by the Speaker for petitioning the Governor to change the Chief Minister during the AIADMK's factional crisis. He stood by T.T.V. Dhinakaran during the party split. In a significant political move, he switched to the DMK in December 2018, joining in the presence of party president M.K. Stalin. He was immediately rewarded with the District Secretary position and was fielded as the by-election candidate for Aravakurichi, winning in May 2019 for his fourth term. He retained the seat in the April 2021 elections. Now contesting as an Independent candidate from Karur constituency, Augustin declares assets of ₹17.32 lakhs and lists his profession as Lawyer/Advocate, despite his extensive political career. This raises questions about the consistency between his declared profession and known activities. Voters should note his history of party switches, his disqualification episode, and the apparent discrepancy between his long ministerial and legislative career and his declared assets. No recent news coverage or controversies specific to his Karur candidacy were found.