M.Boominathan

M. Boominathan, 66, is a first-term MLA from Madurai South representing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). He declared himself as 'Literate' in education and engages in farming, real estate, and rental income, with total assets of ₹9.67 crores. His political journey reflects persistence: in 2016, he contested on a Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) ticket and finished third with 13.26% votes (19,443 votes) against AIADMK's S.S. Saravanan. After switching to DMK before the 2021 elections, Boominathan achieved a narrow but decisive victory, defeating the same AIADMK opponent by 6,515 votes with 42.49% vote share, marking a significant political turnaround. As MLA, Boominathan has focused on community welfare, particularly youth empowerment, farmer welfare, and women's social initiatives. His advocacy for installing a monument for legendary singer T.M. Soundararajan in the Assembly demonstrated his engagement with local cultural sentiments. However, his tenure has been marked by the broader corruption controversies engulfing the DMK government in Madurai. In July 2025, a massive property tax scam in Madurai Corporation led to the resignation of zonal chairpersons, with alleged revenue losses exceeding ₹200 crore. Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate investigated cash-for-jobs and tender scams in the Municipal Administration department, while a granite mining scam involving losses of over ₹16,000 crore has also surfaced in Madurai district. Opposition parties, particularly the BJP, have mounted aggressive criticism against the DMK government during Madurai campaigns, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah citing multiple scams including the ₹4,600 crore sand mining and ₹39,775 crore TASMAC liquor scandals. While no specific FIRs or court cases directly name Boominathan, these systemic corruption allegations create a challenging political environment for him. Filing his nomination for the 2026 elections as part of the Secular Progressive Alliance, Boominathan emphasized his five years of dedicated service to the constituency. Voters in Madurai South should weigh Boominathan's grassroots development work and cultural advocacy against the backdrop of widespread governance failures and corruption allegations affecting his party's administration in the region. His clean personal affidavit with zero criminal cases stands in contrast to the murky allegations surrounding the broader DMK ecosystem in Madurai.