Perumal. A

A. Perumal, 73, is contesting as an independent candidate from Salem (West) constituency in Tamil Nadu. A 12th pass, Perumal served as an Assistant Labour Inspector in the Labour Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu before retirement. His declared assets total approximately ₹97.15 lakhs, comprising ₹13.31 lakhs in movable assets and ₹83.83 lakhs in immovable property, with no outstanding liabilities—a reasonable financial profile for a retired government officer. Salem (West) constituency was created in 2008 following delimitation and covers portions of Omalur and Salem taluks, including wards 1–5 and 17–25 of Salem city. The constituency has been dominated by major parties, with PMK(R)'s Arul Ramadas winning in 2021 with 49.07% votes, defeating DMK's A. Rajendran. Independent candidates have historically struggled in this constituency, with no documented independent victories in recent elections. Despite his candidacy, Perumal has no visible public presence, social media footprint, or media coverage. No news articles, interviews, or public statements could be traced. This absence of information suggests either a very localized campaign or minimal electoral preparation. The constituency itself has seen significant development, including infrastructure projects worth ₹10,000 crore and Salem district ranking first in Tamil Nadu for the Jal Jeevan Mission implementation with 83.54% household coverage. Voters should note that while Perumal brings government service experience, his campaign appears to lack the organizational structure, media presence, and public engagement typical of competitive candidates. With zero criminal cases and transparent financial disclosures, he presents a clean profile, but his ability to challenge established party candidates remains unclear given the complete absence of public information about his political vision or constituency work.