Star Candidate: Nainar Nagendran / BJP

CHENNAI: A veteran of one of the Dravidian majors to make a mark in the saffron party is one of the key highlights of Nainar Nagendran. A former minister and many-time MLA of AIADMK, deftly shifted to BJP after he was sidelined in the party.

Nainar Nagendran, a native of Nagercoil’s Vadiveeswaram village, belongs to one of the intermediate castes (Maravar of the Mukkulathor) playing a dominant role in caste politics in southern Tamil Nadu. Starting his political career with AIADMK, Nainar served in various positions including minister for Electricity, Industries and Transport in the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK government, 2001-06.

Nainar Nagendran was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 2001 from the Tirunelveli constituency on behalf of AIADMK. He lost the seat by 606 votes in the Assembly election of 2006, won it back in 2011 and lost it in 2016 by a difference of 601.

Nainar wasn’t accommodated in the Cabinet during the AIADMK regime led by Jayalalithaa from 2011-16, leading to speculations that he has been sidelined in the party. After the death of the AIADMK supremo, he moved to the BJP in 2017, claiming that her death and the subsequent rudderless situation in the party forced him to make the choice. In 2021 he was elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Tirunelveli constituency on ticket given by BJP, which faced the election in alliance with the AIADMK. Subsequently, he was appointed as the BJP legislative party head.

Nainar Nagendran is better known for his solid ground and camaraderie across caste lines but is known for many controversies too. After joining BJP, he tried to imitate saffron party politics by issuing death threats to acclaimed Tamil lyricist and writer Vairamuthu in January 2018 for his controversial remarks on Aandal, which was far removed from Nainar’s usual demeanour.