V. Karthikeyan

V. Karthikeyan (also referred to as Karthikeyan P in various sources) is a 30-year-old Independent politician from Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, who contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. A graduate professional engaged in agriculture, he represents a new generation of political aspirants attempting to challenge established party dominance in the region. Despite having no criminal record and running as an Independent without party infrastructure, he managed to secure 281,335 votes (24.98% of total votes) in the 2024 elections, a noteworthy achievement for a non-party candidate in a constituency traditionally dominated by DMK and AIADMK. However, his campaign faced significant challenges. He lost to DMK's K. Eswarasamy by a substantial margin, with the winner securing 533,377 votes (47.37%). His limited social media presence and minimal public visibility suggest a grassroots campaign that struggled to compete with established party machinery. Karthikeyan has no prior electoral history at the parliamentary level, making the 2024 election his first major political foray. There is a notable discrepancy in financial reporting that requires clarification. While some sources report his total assets at Rs. 2.3 crore with liabilities of Rs. 16.1 lakh, the affidavit data shows significantly lower figures of Rs. 40.93 lakh with no liabilities. This inconsistency in public records raises questions about financial transparency. No controversies, criminal cases, or corruption allegations have been reported against him. Voters should know that Karthikeyan represents an Independent political voice in a region dominated by major parties, but his lack of organizational backing, minimal public engagement platforms, and unexplained financial discrepancies may affect his credibility. His quarter-share of votes demonstrates some electoral appeal, but his ability to translate this into effective governance or sustained political relevance remains untested.