Velmurugan G

T. Velmurugan, 31 years old in this affidavit but born April 11, 1970 according to Wikipedia (suggesting possible identity confusion), is a prominent Tamil Nadu politician who founded Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) in January 2012 after leaving Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). He began his political career as Tiruvottiyur city secretary of PMK and went on to win the Panruti constituency in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections in 2001 and 2006 as a PMK candidate. After founding TVK, he lost elections from Neyveli in 2011 and 2016, but made a successful comeback in 2021 by winning Panruti as a DMK alliance candidate with 93,801 votes (47.6%), defeating his nearest rival by 21,563 votes. In March 2026, Velmurugan made headlines by exiting the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, citing dissatisfaction with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's handling of key demands including a caste-based census, 10.5% internal reservation for Vanniyars, and an Assembly resolution seeking an international probe into alleged Sri Lankan civil war atrocities. He accused the DMK of adopting a 'big brotherly attitude' and succumbing to bureaucratic pressures allegedly influenced by RSS ideology. Despite leaving the DMK alliance, he ruled out joining the NDA or BJP, which he accused of promoting communal politics. Velmurugan's political journey has not been without controversy. In October 2015, police registered a case against him and 32 TVMK cadres for agitation against a Pepsi unit at SIPCOT Industrial Growth Centre. He is considered a key voice for the Vanniyar community in northern Tamil Nadu, and his exit from the DMK alliance is expected to impact the Vanniyar vote base, particularly as the PMK remains aligned with the NDA. Voters in Tittakudi (SC) should note the significant discrepancies between the affidavit data (showing a 31-year-old school teacher with ₹15.89 lakhs assets) and the widely reported profile of T. Velmurugan (a 56-year-old sitting MLA and party founder with ₹23.94 lakhs assets). This raises questions about whether this is the same person, a clerical error, or potential non-disclosure of relevant information.