Saravanan. M

Saravanan, 40, is contesting from Polur constituency as an Independent candidate after a turbulent political journey marked by frequent party changes. He began his career with the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) as Madurai Rural Unit Secretary, then moved to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) after being denied an election ticket. His most notable achievement came when he won a by-election to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on a DMK ticket, defeating his AIADMK opponent by 2,936 votes while serving as Deputy Leader of DMK's Doctor wing. In March 2021, Saravanan made another dramatic switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after DMK denied him a seat, and was appointed BJP's Madurai district president. However, this relationship soured quickly—he resigned from BJP in August 2022, publicly criticizing the party's 'politics of hatred and religion,' and was subsequently expelled for anti-party activities. He then contested the 2024 General Elections on an AIADMK ticket but finished third, marking a significant electoral setback. Now running as an Independent from Polur, Saravanan declares himself as engaged in 'Agriculture' with assets of just Rs. 4.3 lakhs and no immovable property—figures that appear modest given his extensive political career spanning multiple senior party positions and a successful Legislative Assembly term. His affidavit shows liabilities of Rs. 45,000 with zero criminal cases declared. Voters in Polur should weigh Saravanan's proven ability to win elections and his legislative experience against his pattern of frequent party-switching, which raises questions about political consistency and commitment. His decision to contest as an Independent after exhausting options with major parties, combined with his relatively low declared assets despite years in active politics, are factors worth considering when evaluating his candidacy.