Thalapathy Murugesan

Thalapathy Murugesan is a 64-year-old DMK politician from Sulur constituency in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. With a 10th pass education, he declares his profession as agriculture and public service, with assets totaling Rs. 2.50 crore and liabilities of Rs. 6.74 lakh. His political career has been marked by unsuccessful electoral attempts in a traditionally AIADMK-dominated constituency, losing both the 2019 by-election and the 2021 assembly election by substantial margins. Murugesan's candidature carries significant concerns regarding his legal record. His affidavit declares 3 criminal cases involving serious charges including Section 328 (causing hurt by poison), Section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), Section 420 (cheating), Section 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), and Section 353 (assault on public servant). These charges span a range of serious offenses from corruption to violence, raising questions about his conduct as a public representative. Electorally, Murugesan has struggled to make inroads in Sulur. In the 2021 assembly election, he secured 87,036 votes (36.02%) but lost to AIADMK's V.P. Kandasamy who won with 118,968 votes (49.23%), a deficit of 31,932 votes. The 2019 by-election saw similar results with DMK candidate securing 40.29% against AIADMK's 44.78%. Despite the DMK's overall success in Tamil Nadu in 2021, Sulur remained with the AIADMK, indicating local factors that have worked against Murugesan. Voters should note that while Murugesan represents the ruling DMK party in Tamil Nadu, his individual track record shows no documented development work or community achievements in available public records. His minimal social media presence and absence of public statements suggest limited engagement with constituents. The serious criminal charges on his record, combined with two consecutive electoral defeats in Sulur, present a mixed picture for voters evaluating his candidacy for the 2026 elections.