A. C. Shanmugam
Arani Chockalingam Shanmugam, better known as A. C. Shanmugam, is the founder and president of the Puthiya Needhi Katchi, a caste-based political party for the Thuluva Vellalar caste in Tamil Nadu, India. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Vellore constituency as an AIADMK candidate in the 1984 election.
Political career
He began his political career as an All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politician, when he won the 1984 parliament election with 52.93% of votes for AIADMK. Subsequently, he held the posts of MP and Member of the Legislative Assembly, before founding the New Justice Party.In 2014, as a BJP candidate he contested elections in Vellore Lok Sabha constituency and lost.
Later, he returned to AIADMK.
He stood from the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency in 2019 on a AIADMK ticket, but narrowly lost by under a percentage point.
Puthiya Needhi Katchi
Puthiya Needhi Katchi, is a caste-based political party in Tamil Nadu founded by A.C. Shanmugam for the Mudaliar caste. The party was started just before the 2001 Tamil Nadu assembly election. The leader of the party claims to represent Mudaliars and Pillaimars castes significantly present from all over Tamil Nadu.As of 2022, the party is still led by A. C. Shanmugam, and continues to ally with larger parties.