R Jayalakshmi

Jayalakshmi Raman, 39, is the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate for the Sholinganallur Assembly constituency in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for April 23, 2026. A postgraduate who declares herself as 'Director of an Individual Software Company,' she has declared assets worth ₹55.27 crores, though no public information about her business ventures or corporate background could be found online. She represents NTK, a Tamil nationalist party founded by Seeman that has been steadily gaining ground in Tamil Nadu politics, rising from 1.1% vote share in 2016 to 6.72% in 2021, making it the third-largest party in the state. Sholinganallur is a rapidly urbanizing southern suburb of Chennai facing infrastructure challenges, and Jayalakshmi has positioned herself as a governance-focused candidate. At public candidate meetings, she has emphasized providing quality roads, education, healthcare, and water supply while explicitly criticizing the distribution of freebies by other parties, arguing instead for sustainable development. This approach aligns with NTK's broader manifesto that advocates for Tamil nationalism, environmentalism, decentralized governance, and social justice. The party has been focusing on fielding candidates from diverse communities to broaden its appeal beyond its traditional base. In the 2021 election, NTK's candidate S. Michael secured 10.01% of votes (38,872 votes) in Sholinganallur, losing to DMK's S. Aravind Ramesh but marking a significant 6.87% increase from previous elections. NTK has attracted support particularly among younger voters disillusioned with traditional Dravidian parties, though the party has also faced criticism for controversial positions, including praise for LTTE founder Velupillai Prabhakaran. Jayalakshmi's campaign reflects NTK's strategy of emphasizing tangible governance issues over conventional Dravidian political narratives. Voters should note that while Jayalakshmi declares substantial wealth exceeding ₹55 crores and a software company directorship, there is no verifiable online presence of her business activities or technology sector involvement. This is her first electoral contest, meaning she has no established track record in governance or legislative work. Her ability to deliver on infrastructure and development promises remains untested, though she benefits from riding the wave of NTK's growing popularity in Tamil Nadu politics.