Karunanithi.K

K. Karunanithi, 51, is the DMK candidate for the Kovilpatti Assembly constituency in the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections, announced as part of the party's official candidate list released on March 28, 2026. An 8th pass with assets worth Rs. 1.74 crore, he currently serves as the Chairman of Kovilpatti Municipality, representing the DMK in local governance. His affidavit declares two criminal cases related to unlawful assembly, disobedience to public servant orders, and public nuisance - charges often associated with political protests and demonstrations, though no serious IPC charges are listed. Kovilpatti constituency is part of the Thoothuvalai Lok Sabha region and was won by AIADMK's Kadambur C. Raju in the 2021 state elections, making this a challenging seat for DMK to reclaim. Karunanithi will face multi-cornered contest against candidates from AIADMK, NTK, TVK, and NOTA. Despite holding the municipal chairman position, he maintains an extremely low public profile with virtually no media coverage, social media presence, or documented public statements found in available sources. His declared profession as 'Social Service' appears at odds with his current role as Municipal Chairman, a salaried administrative position. With assets of Rs. 1.74 crore and liabilities of Rs. 16.11 lakh, his financial position appears reasonable for someone in local governance, though this is his first major electoral contest at the Assembly level with no previous election data available for comparison. Voters in Kovilpatti should note that while Karunanithi represents the DMK in local administration, information about his specific achievements, development work, or governance record as Municipal Chairman remains absent from public domain. His candidacy rides on the broader DMK wave, with the party expected to perform strongly based on welfare schemes implemented by the M.K. Stalin government, but his personal track record and vision for the constituency remain largely undocumented.