Mekala

Mekala, 31, is the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate for the UTHANGARAI (SC) constituency in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. A graduate professional who earns through agricultural wages, she declares assets of Rs. 28.21 lakhs (entirely movable) with liabilities of Rs. 19.75 lakhs. This is her second electoral attempt from this constituency, having previously contested in 2021 where she secured 10,424 votes (5.54%) but lost to AIADMK's T. M. Tamilselvam who won with 99,675 votes (52.96%). Mekala represents the Naam Tamilar Katchi, a Tamil nationalist party founded by actor-politician Seeman in 2010, which has been steadily growing its electoral footprint. The party increased its vote share from 3.89% in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to 6.72% in the 2021 Assembly elections, and further to 8.19% in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, becoming the third largest party in Tamil Nadu. NTK advocates for Tamil identity, cultural rights, social justice, and autonomy for Tamil-majority areas, and has been gaining support among youth and voters dissatisfied with traditional Dravidian parties. However, the party has been mired in controversies. In recent months, NTK members protested the film 'Kingdom', attacking theaters and vandalizing property, leading to 16 arrests and a Madras High Court directive for police protection. Party leader Seeman faces multiple legal cases including defamation charges for derogatory remarks against former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, sedition charges for advocating armed retrieval of Katchatheevu island from Sri Lanka, and another defamation case by IPS officer Varun Kumar. Additionally, an NTK district youth wing secretary was arrested in connection with a fake NCC camp scandal where a 13-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted. Despite these controversies, NTK has presented a comprehensive 462-page manifesto for the 2026 elections outlining 49 major promises including decentralized governance with multiple functional capitals across Tamil Nadu, agricultural reforms, women's reservation in constituencies, prohibition enforcement, and environmental conservation. The party is contesting all 234 constituencies independently without alliances. Pre-election surveys project NTK will secure around 4.9% vote share but won't win any seats. Voters should weigh Mekala's representation of a growing regional force advocating Tamil interests against the party's track record of legal troubles and protest-driven activism.