Rajathi.M

Rajathi.M is a 34-year-old graduate professional working as an HR Executive who is contesting the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections from Ponneri (SC) constituency on a Naam Tamilar Katchi ticket. With declared assets of Rs. 15.5 lakhs (entirely movable) and liabilities of Rs. 7 lakhs, she represents a party that has been steadily gaining ground in Tamil Nadu politics. Ponneri is a Scheduled Caste reserved constituency in Tiruvallur district with 248,917 registered voters, where NTK's performance has shown improvement—from just 0.82% (1,620 votes) in 2016 under candidate S. Vinoth Babu to 9.06% (19,027 votes) in 2021 under A. Maheswari. Rajathi's party, Naam Tamilar Katchi, was founded by Seeman in 2010 as a revival of S.P. Adithanar's We Tamils Party and secured recognition as a state party by the Election Commission of India. The party advocates for Tamil nationalism, cultural preservation, and social justice issues, along with support for an independent Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. In the 2021 Assembly elections, NTK contested all 234 constituencies and secured 6.72% of the total vote share, emerging as Tamil Nadu's third largest party despite not winning any seats—a significant achievement indicating the party's growing influence among voters seeking alternatives to traditional Dravidian politics. However, the party has faced controversies involving some of its members. In October 2024, two NTK members were arrested in Pulivalam on extortion charges for allegedly threatening a stone quarry owner and demanding money. The party has also been involved in protests that led to theatre disruptions, requiring Madras High Court intervention to protect screenings of the film 'Kingdom.' These incidents have drawn criticism even as the party maintains its focus on Tamil identity and cultural issues. Voters in Ponneri should know that Rajathi is a first-time electoral contestant representing a growing third force in Tamil Nadu politics. While she brings no prior legislative experience, her candidacy reflects NTK's expanding reach in reserved constituencies. The constituency has been competitive—Congress won in 2021 with 45% votes, defeating AIADMK's 40.39%, suggesting that NTK's nearly 10% vote share could play a significant role. Rajathi's professional background in HR and clean criminal record (zero cases declared) contrast with her party's occasional legal troubles, making this a contest where voters must weigh the appeal of Tamil nationalist politics against concerns about governance experience and party discipline.