Nm.Sukumar

N. M. Sukumar, 56, is a businessman contesting his first election from Sulur constituency on a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ticket in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. With assets of Rs 4.44 crore and liabilities of Rs 60.28 lakh, Sukumar represents the newly-founded TVK party that was established in February 2024 by actor Vijay. His candidacy comes with significant legal concerns - his affidavit declares one criminal case involving serious charges under Sections 406, 409 (criminal breach of trust), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 465 (forgery), and 419 (cheating by personation). Notably, Section 409 specifically deals with breach of trust by public servants, bankers, merchants or agents, indicating white-collar crime allegations. Sukumar enters electoral politics in a constituency where AIADMK has dominated recent elections. In 2021, V. P. Kandasamy of AIADMK won Sulur with 118,968 votes (49.23%), defeating KMDK's Selvam Kalichamy M. who secured 87,036 votes (36.02%). The 2019 by-election also saw AIADMK's Kandasamy retain the seat with 100,782 votes (44.78%) against DMK's Pongalur N. Palanisamy who got 90,669 votes (40.29%). As a first-time candidate with no prior electoral history, Sukumar faces the challenge of establishing credibility in a seat with entrenched voting patterns. His party TVK is attempting to position itself as a third-front alternative to the traditional DMK-AIADMK duopoly. However, TVK has faced serious setbacks, most notably the September 2025 Karur stampede tragedy where 41 people died and around 100 were injured during a Vijay rally when crowds surged after his convoy arrived seven hours late. The incident led to FIRs against TVK leaders including General Secretary N. Anand for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. TVK has promised welfare schemes including a Rs 15,000 crore MSME fund, subsidies for weavers, and increased pensions, but analysts question the party's organizational strength and ability to translate Vijay's fan following into political success. Voters in Sulur should weigh Sukumar's status as a political newcomer against his serious pending criminal charges involving breach of trust and fraud. While he benefits from association with Vijay's popular appeal, the lack of a proven track record in public service or constituency development, combined with TVK's organizational challenges and the shadow of the Karur tragedy, raises questions about governance capability. His business background and substantial assets suggest financial capacity, but the nature of criminal charges declared in his affidavit merit careful voter scrutiny.