Shahul Hameed

E. K. Sahul Hameed, 57, is a medical professional and first-time political candidate contesting from the Ramanathapuram Assembly constituency on a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ticket in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. A post-graduate (MBBS and MD), he runs a hospital in Bharathi Nagar, Ramanathapuram, and hails from Saathankulam village near Ramanathapuram. With declared assets of Rs. 4.22 crore (movable assets of Rs. 1.42 crore and immovable assets of Rs. 2.81 crore) and zero liabilities or criminal cases, his financial profile appears consistent with a medical practitioner running a hospital. Hameed has been associated with TVK since the party's inception, representing the newly formed party's strategy to field professionals and fresh faces in politics. TVK, founded by popular actor Vijay, aims to contest all 234 seats in Tamil Nadu and position itself as an alternative to the established Dravidian parties. However, Hameed faces a formidable challenge in Ramanathapuram, where DMK's Katharbatcha Muthuramalingam won decisively in 2021 with 111,075 votes (52.06%), while BJP secured 28.48% and NTK 8% of the vote share. With 310,165 registered voters in the constituency, Hameed's success will depend on TVK's ability to carve out a meaningful vote share in a multi-cornered contest featuring DMK, BJP, and NTK candidates. His profile as a local medical professional with no prior political affiliations could be both an asset (fresh face, professional credibility) and a liability (lack of political experience, organizational machinery). Public information about his campaign activities, policy positions, or community engagement remains limited, with no active social media presence or significant media coverage found. Voters should note that this is Hameed's first electoral contest, and as such, there is no track record of legislative performance, constituency development work, or political achievements to evaluate. His candidacy represents TVK's broader experiment in Tamil Nadu politics, testing whether a new party led by a film star can disrupt the state's established political equations.