Arockiaraj .A

Arockiaraj A, 47, is the current Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing Manapparai constituency in Tiruchirappalli district. With an 8th standard education, he has demonstrated remarkable political success by winning consecutive elections in 2016 and 2021, though for different parties. He first entered the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 2016 as an AIADMK candidate, securing 91,399 votes (44.38%) and defeating his nearest rival by 18,277 votes. In a significant political move between 2016 and 2021, Arockiaraj switched from the ruling AIADMK to Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MNMK), also known as Samaniya Makkal Nala Katchi. Despite this party switch, he retained voter confidence and won the 2021 election with 98,077 votes (44.43%), defeating the AIADMK candidate R. Chandrasekar by 12,243 votes. This victory demonstrated his personal appeal transcended party lines in a constituency where voter loyalty traditionally runs deep. However, his tenure as MLA has been marked by notably low public visibility. No significant media coverage of development work, legislative interventions, or public statements could be found. The Manapparai constituency continues to face chronic water supply issues that remain unresolved. His financial disclosures show assets of Rs. 96 lakhs with no liabilities and no criminal cases, though his declared profession as 'Agriculture' appears inconsistent with his full-time role as a legislator. Voters should note that while Arockiaraj has proven electoral viability across party platforms, there is limited documented evidence of his legislative work, development initiatives, or efforts to address the constituency's pressing water crisis. His party switch from AIADMK to a smaller regional party raises questions about ideological consistency, though such moves are common in Tamil Nadu politics.