After 2021 victory, V. Muthuraja eyes re-election in Pudukkottai amid three-way electoral battle

V. Muthuraja, the current MLA from Pudukkottai, is contesting again in the 2026 elections as a DMK candidate.

Updated on: May 4, 2026, 17:46:35 IST

By Payal Kumari

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V. Muthuraja is a prominent political figure from Tamil Nadu and the sitting MLA from the Pudukkottai Assembly constituency. Representing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, he won the seat in the 2021 Assembly elections with 85,802 votes (47.7%), defeating V. R. Karthik Thondaiman by a margin of 13,001 votes.

Pudukkottai Assembly constituency DMK candidate V. Muthuraja (Instagram)

In the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Muthuraja has a slender lead of 3357 votes as he is once again contesting from Pudukkottai as a DMK candidate, aiming to retain his seat. He is currently locked in a triangular contest against N. Ramachandran of the Bharatiya Janata Party and K. M. Shareef of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, making the constituency one to watch.

Background

At 49 years old, V. Muthuraja has a professional background in medicine, having completed his M.B.B.S from Vinayaka Mission's Medical College under the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University in 2001. Despite his growing political presence, limited personal details about his early life and background are publicly available.

According to his election affidavit, he has declared assets worth approximately ₹9.12 crore and liabilities of around ₹4.44 crore. Over the years, he has built his political profile within the DMK and established himself as a key leader in the Pudukkottai region, which falls under the Tiruchirappalli Lok Sabha constituency.

Also Read: Could TVK's Vijay become Tamil Nadu's next MGR? What exit poll results suggest

What happened in previous elections?

The Pudukkottai Assembly constituency has witnessed varied political representation over the past decade. In 2011, the seat was won by S. P. Muthukumaran of the Communist Party of India. A by-election in 2012 saw V. R. Karthik Thondaiman of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam secure the seat, shifting the constituency’s political alignment.

In 2016, the seat went to the DMK, with Periyannan Arasu emerging victorious, marking the party’s return in the constituency. This trend continued in 2021, when V. Muthuraja won the seat for the DMK with a vote share of 47.70%, defeating Karthik Thondaiman of the AIADMK, who secured 40.47%.

With the DMK holding the seat in the last two elections, the 2026 contest becomes significant as Muthuraja seeks to maintain the party’s hold amid a triangular fight, adding a competitive edge to the Pudukkottai constituency.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Payal Kumari
Payal is a budding journalist currently pursuing her passion for storytelling at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. She has always loved writing and reading, and over time, these interests grew into a strong desire to tell stories that people can connect with. This is what led her to choose journalism and content writing as a career. She has interned with Prabhat Khabar, where she worked with the social media team. During her internship, she created content for different platforms and learned how to write in a clear and engaging way for a wide audience. This experience helped her understand how digital content works and improved her writing skills. Payal is always looking to learn and grow as a writer. She is open to exploring different kinds of stories and wants to keep getting better with each piece she writes. Outside of her work and studies, she is an avid reader. She enjoys reading all kinds of books, especially fiction and fantasy, and loves getting lost in different worlds and characters. Reading has always been a big part of her life and continues to inspire her writing. She is excited to keep learning, writing, and discovering where her journey in journalism takes her.Read More

Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2026

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