Arul Prakasam. M

M. Arulprakasam, 44, is the deputy general secretary of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the party's candidate for the Saidapet assembly constituency in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. A 10th pass with experience in construction and charitable work, he serves as Managing Director of Tejas Builders and Managing Trustee of Sri Arangar Arutkudil. His declared assets stand at Rs. 1.67 crores with liabilities of Rs. 18.58 lakhs, and he has no criminal cases on record. Arulprakasam is part of the core leadership of TVK, a party founded by actor Vijay in February 2024 that is making its electoral debut in 2026. He faces a formidable challenge in Saidapet, where incumbent DMK candidate Ma. Subramanian won decisively with 80,194 votes (50.38%) in 2021, defeating AIADMK's G. Senthamizhan who secured 31.91%. The constituency race now includes candidates from TVK, DMK, AMMK, and NTK, making it a multi-cornered contest. While TVK is projected to capture approximately 20% of the statewide vote share, potentially translating to 86 lakh votes, the party has faced significant challenges including the tragic Karur crowd crush incident in September 2025 that killed 41 people and injured over 100. Tamil Nadu Police filed an FIR against TVK leadership, including General Secretary N. Anand, accusing them of ignoring safety advice and failing to take adequate precautions. The party's manifesto promises welfare schemes including monthly assistance for homemakers, unemployment aid, free electricity, piped water, AI integration in governance, and aims to transform Tamil Nadu into a $1.5 trillion economy by 2036. Voters in Saidapet should note that Arulprakasam is a political newcomer representing a debut party with significant star power but limited organizational track record. His contest against the well-established DMK incumbent who also serves as Tamil Nadu's Health Minister represents a classic outsider versus insider battle in a constituency where DMK has demonstrated strong recent performance.