Day 1: Two including ‘election king’ Padmarajan file papers

While the process of filing nomination commenced from 11 am, was around 12.30 pm, Agni Sri Ramachandran (38) from Namakkarai village near Pennagaram in Dharmapuri district, leader of Agni Athma political party, filed his papers with returning officer Murugadas. Ramachandran had contested 27 elections, including from Tiruvarur constituency in 2011, so far. In 2011, he secured 1,741 votes. The second person was ‘election king’ K Padmarajan (61) from Mettur to file nomination. This is 199th poll contest.

The candidates were allowed inside the nomination hall after a thorough inspection. Around 25 cops led by the DSP Natarajan were deputed on security duty. The candidates were stopped beyond 100 metre as per the MCC.  

Humiliations, warnings and even kidnap threats did not deter the 61year old Padmarajan from filing nominations for Tiruvarur.

Padmarajan, a homeopathy practitioner and a small-time business man, said that his strange passion started in 1988. So far, he had spent over Rs 25 lakh for filing nominations to contest elections. “This is not a publicity craze. I want to tell people that every Indian irrespective of their status is eligible to contest against any candidate”, Padmarajan said.

From MLA to President of India elections, he had contested all and his list of nominations filed against VIPs include, President KR Narayanan (June 10, 1997), APJ Abdul Kalam (June 19,2002), Pradeepa Patil (June 21,2007) and Pranab Mukherjee (June 22,2012) and Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao, AB Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi. He also fought against chief ministers J Jayalalithaa, M Karunanidhi, YS Rajasekara Reddy, K Karunakaran, AK Antony, SM Krishna, Yeddiyurappa and others.

“The most interesting part is, I was kidnapped when I contested in the by election for Nandyal Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh in 1991 and was threatened to withdraw my nominations. But I was determined and somehow managed to escape”, Padmarajan recalled.

His feat of contesting the polls fetched him a place in Guinness book of records in 2004 and Limca book of records in 2003. “It gives me some kind of happiness and I will do it till I breathe my last”, he says. When asked about the support from his family, Padmarajan instantly shot back, “everything went beyond their control and they have got used to it now.”