Marimuthu.K

K. Marimuthu, 56, represents one of Tamil Nadu's few remaining communist strongholds. Born into a family of poor agricultural laborers belonging to a Scheduled Caste, he is a commerce graduate who joined the Communist Party of India in 1994, inspired by the party's work for ordinary people. For over two decades, he served as a full-time party worker, including as Kottur Union Secretary, before entering the legislative assembly. His personal story of sacrifice resonates in the constituency—after Cyclone Gaja damaged his hut, he donated the compensation money he received from an NGO to help another villager whose home was also damaged but who was ineligible for aid. In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, Marimuthu won the Thiruthuraipoondi (Reserved) seat decisively with 97,092 votes (52.60%), defeating AIADMK's C. Suresh Kumar by a margin of 30,068 votes. The constituency has been a CPI bastion since 1971, consistently electing communist candidates. As an MLA, Marimuthu has focused on issues affecting marginal farmers and landless laborers, including government scheme implementation, job opportunities, house site pattas, and preventing seawater intrusion in coastal areas. Marimuthu's declared assets of Rs. 7.16 lakhs are modest, consistent with his stated profession as a full-time politician and social worker with no other vocation. He has no criminal cases declared in his affidavit, and web searches found no controversies or legal issues involving him personally. His party affiliation with the CPI places him within the broader Left alliance in Tamil Nadu, which partners with the DMK-led coalition. He has been renominated by the CPI for the 2026 assembly elections, indicating continued party confidence in his leadership. Voters should know that Marimuthu represents an increasingly rare breed of grassroots communist politicians in Tamil Nadu, with deep roots in labor movements and scheduled caste advocacy. While he has a clean record and strong local support, his minimal digital presence means constituents primarily access him through traditional party channels. His focus remains on class-based issues affecting agricultural workers and marginalized communities rather than broader development agendas.