Balaganapathy.V

Pon V. Balaganapathy, 48, is a BJP politician contesting from the Manamadurai (SC) constituency in Tamil Nadu. A graduate professional by education, he earns his livelihood through agriculture and working as a gas cylinder sales agent. He has declared assets worth Rs. 5.52 crore with liabilities of Rs. 59.65 lakh. His affidavit reveals 4 criminal cases involving 10 different charges, including rash driving causing hurt, being part of unlawful assemblies, public nuisance, negligent conduct with explosives, wrongful restraint, and notably, assault on a public servant to deter them from duty. Balaganapathy has been a consistent but unsuccessful electoral contender for the BJP in Manamadurai since 2016. In his first attempt in 2016, he secured only 3,493 votes (1.88%), losing to AIADMK's candidate by a margin of 14,889 votes. He contested again in 2021 against DMK's A. Tamilarasi, who won with 89,364 votes (43.91%). The BJP has nominated him once more for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, despite his previous poor electoral performance and the party's historically weak position in the state where Dravidian parties have dominated for decades. Balaganapathy maintains a remarkably low public profile with no identifiable social media presence, public statements, or community engagement platforms. This stands in stark contrast to modern political campaigning norms. His political career reflects the BJP's ongoing struggle to establish a foothold in Tamil Nadu politics, particularly in SC-reserved constituencies where regional parties have strong traditional support bases. Voters should note that while Balaganapathy has shown party loyalty through repeated candidacies, he has not demonstrated electoral viability or significant public connect. His criminal cases, particularly those involving assault on public servants and explosives-related negligence, along with his minimal public engagement, are factors that warrant careful consideration by the electorate in Manamadurai.