Munish.N

Munish.N (also referred to as Munees in some sources) is a 35-year-old doctor contesting from Thirumangalam constituency on a Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) ticket in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. With assets of Rs. 38.54 lakhs and no criminal record, he represents a regional party that has positioned itself as an alternative to the mainstream Dravidian parties. The constituency previously saw NTK candidate M. Saral secure 5.26% vote share (11,593 votes) in 2021, losing to AIADMK's R.B. Udhayakumar by 14,087 votes. NTK, founded by filmmaker-turned-politician Seeman in 2010 (reviving a 1958 party started by S.P. Adithanar), has grown steadily as Tamil Nadu's third-largest party with 6.72% state-wide vote share in 2021. The party advocates for Tamil nationalism, regional autonomy, decentralized governance, and social justice. For 2026, NTK announced it will contest all 234 seats independently for the fifth consecutive time, refusing alliances with DMK, AIADMK, Congress, or BJP. The party's manifesto emphasizes creating multiple functional capitals across Tamil Nadu, anti-drug measures, agricultural support, women's representation through reserved constituencies, and strict anti-narcotics enforcement. However, NTK has courted controversy through aggressive street politics. The party led protests against the Telugu film 'Kingdom' in early 2025, alleging it portrayed Sri Lankan Tamils as illegal immigrants involved in smuggling. These protests resulted in theater disruptions, 16 arrests, and required Madras High Court intervention to ensure theater protection. The party has also organized unconventional demonstrations, including a rally with over 100 cattle in Viradhanur to demand grazing rights in forest areas, criticizing the forest department for restricting traditional pastoral practices. Voters in Thirumangalam should know that Munish.N represents a party with growing but still limited electoral success, having never won a seat despite respectable vote shares. His candidacy reflects NTK's grassroots mobilization strategy and appeal to Tamil identity politics, but the party's confrontational approach and protest-oriented politics may concern those seeking experienced governance. With key rivals including AIADMK's R.B. Udhayakumar (incumbent) and DMK's M. Manimaran, Munish.N faces an uphill battle in a constituency where NTK finished third in 2021.