M. Jayaraman

**CRITICAL IDENTITY ISSUE**: The affidavit filed is for M. Jayaraman (age 44, 12th Pass, Agricultural and Business profession) contesting as Independent from Pollachi. However, all web search results document Pollachi V. Jayaraman (born July 2, 1952, age 72, Ph.D. holder), a veteran AIADMK politician who has represented Pollachi five times since 2001. The 28-year age gap and drastically different educational qualifications suggest these may be two different individuals. Voters should verify whether this is the same five-term MLA or a different candidate with a similar name. Pollachi V. Jayaraman (from web sources) is a seasoned politician who served as Minister for Industries, Environment, and Pollution Control (2001–2002) and Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Co-operative (2004–2006) under Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. He served as Deputy Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 2012–2021. He is one of only three AIADMK MLAs to win five consecutive assembly elections, demonstrating significant grassroots support in Pollachi and Udumalaipettai constituencies. However, his political career has been severely tarnished by persistent allegations linking him to the 2019 Pollachi sexual assault case, where a gang sexually assaulted and blackmailed numerous women. Though V. Jayaraman has repeatedly denied involvement, media reports and public allegations linked him and his son to some accused individuals, including a former AIADMK councillor. In August 2025, the Madras High Court granted him interim relief in a ₹1 crore defamation suit against eight YouTube channels, restraining further defamatory content. Despite the legal victories, the controversy continues to dominate public discourse. Voters should carefully verify the candidate's actual identity through official Election Commission records before making their decision, as the affidavit and web search results describe individuals with fundamentally different profiles.