Abinaya Ponnivalavan

Abinaya Ponnivalavan is a 30-year-old medical professional and politician associated with Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), contesting from Villupuram constituency in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. She represents a younger generation of NTK politicians entering electoral politics. In her first major electoral contest in 2024, she ran for the Lok Sabha from Dharmapuri constituency and secured 65,381 votes (5.24% vote share), finishing behind DMK's Mani A who won with 432,667 votes (34.66%). While this was not a winning performance, it demonstrated her willingness to contest in challenging constituencies for her party. Her affidavit reveals a financial profile typical of a young professional with educational debt. She has declared total assets of Rs. 27.59 lakhs (entirely movable, with no immovable property) and liabilities of Rs. 35.64 lakhs, resulting in a net negative worth of approximately Rs. 8 lakhs. This suggests significant borrowing, likely for medical education or other professional investments. There is some ambiguity in public records about whether she has completed her medical degree, as 2024 sources described her as a 'medical student' while her 2026 affidavit lists her profession as 'Doctor.' Abinaya's political career has been relatively low-profile with minimal media coverage of specific initiatives or public work. No controversies, criminal cases, or corruption allegations have been reported against her. She represents NTK in Villupuram, a constituency where the party secured only 3.13% vote share in 2021 through candidate J. Selvam, compared to DMK's winning 50.16%. Voters should note that while she brings youth and professional background to politics, there is limited documented track record of community service, development work, or public achievements beyond her electoral participation.