Veeramani.B

B. Veeramani is a 46-year-old self-employed professional contesting from Neyveli constituency on a Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) ticket in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. He declares assets worth Rs. 1.34 crore with liabilities of Rs. 46.68 lakh, and faces 4 criminal cases involving 10 serious charges including assault on women (Sec 74), voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons, criminal force, house trespass, and dishonest misappropriation of property. No specific information about his individual political career, community work, or public service is available in public records, making him relatively unknown compared to his party's high-profile leadership. Veeramani represents the Naam Tamilar Katchi, a Tamil nationalist party founded in 1958 and revived in 2010 by film director Seeman. The party has shown steady electoral growth—from 1.1% vote share in 2016 to 6.72% in 2021 Assembly elections and over 8% in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, emerging as Tamil Nadu's third-largest political force. NTK's ideology centers on Tamil cultural preservation, regional autonomy, and social justice, with its 2026 manifesto proposing decentralized governance, declaring farming a national occupation, free education from primary to PhD, and a complete ban on alcohol. The party maintains an independent stance, refusing alliances with DMK, AIADMK, or BJP. The party's growth comes with controversies. Seeman's strong support for Tamil Eelam and praise for the banned LTTE draws both passionate support and criticism for extremism. In August 2025, NTK cadres disrupted film screenings, prompting the Madras High Court to direct police protection for theaters. The party's rejection of welfare schemes as 'an insult to dignity' positions it as an alternative to traditional Dravidian politics, particularly appealing to younger voters. However, the legal cases against Veeramani—especially charges related to assault on women and causing grievous hurt—raise questions about candidate conduct that voters in Neyveli should carefully consider. Voters should note that while NTK's rising influence reflects genuine voter appetite for alternatives, B. Veeramani himself has no documented track record of public service, development work, or governance experience. His candidacy appears to ride primarily on party momentum rather than individual credentials, and the serious nature of criminal charges declared in his affidavit warrants scrutiny regarding his suitability for legislative responsibility.