Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026: NTK’s Seeman rejects freebies, positions self as Tamil nationalist alternative
Seeman, chief coordinator of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), rejected the free-riding narrative and said such measures were an “insult” to people’s dignity. Positioning himself as a political outlier, the 59-year-old continues his campaigns without alliances, arguing that partnerships would weaken both his ideology and his intentions. Its core message remains clear: While anyone can live in Tamil Nadu, the right to govern should belong to Tamils, he says.
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Despite limited electoral success, Seeman steadily expanded his party’s footprint. He has not won a seat in the Assembly or Parliament since his first election in 2016. However, NTK’s vote share increased steadily; It has risen from 3.8% in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to around 8% in 2024, when the party contests all 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as an independent. The Election Commission has since granted NTK recognized party status.
Seeman remained firm in his refusal to enter into alliances. While campaigning recently, he argued that small parties with marginal vote shares often bargain for seats or financial gains, and suggested that his own bargaining power would have been much greater had he chosen that route; a path he says he consciously avoids. In this election, NTK nominated candidates in all 234 Assembly constituencies.
Born in Sivaganga district in 1966, Seeman started his career as a director and actor in Tamil cinema before switching fully to politics. Before turning to activism, he directed films such as Panchalankurichi (1996), focusing on Tamil identity, language, farmers’ issues, environmental concerns and the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils.
His support for Sri Lankan Tamils became central to his political identity. She met Velupillai Prabhakaran in 2008, as the Sri Lankan civil war was ending. His outspoken stance led to his arrest under the National Security Act in 2009 and 2010. In 2010, he officially launched NTK on the death anniversary of the LTTE chief; it was a move widely seen as emblematic of his ideological position.Also Read: AIADMK’s Palaniswami MP Kanimozhi said she objected to DMK’s “highly derogatory” remarks towards women
Over time, Seeman sought to position NTK as a Tamil nationalist alternative to the dominant Dravidian parties in the state. However, there were no changes in his political journey. Once a fan of Periyar EV Ramasamy, he now rejects the description of Tamil Nadu as “Periyar land”. After supporting the AIADMK under J Jayalalithaa in 2011 and 2014, she contested as an independent from 2016.
The party’s first election outing was not very positive, with candidates losing deposits in most constituencies. However, in the 2021 Assembly polls, NTK’s vote share increased to 6.6%; Seeman points to this increase as evidence of growing grassroots acceptance without the support of major alliances.
Part of this appeal lies in his oratory. Known for his fiery speeches, Seeman continues to draw large crowds. At a recent rally, supporters waited for hours in inclement weather to hear him speak. He often compares his style to that of his competitors and criticizes their reliance on prepared scripts and teleprompters.
His campaign rhetoric focuses on corruption, vote-buying and what he calls “addictive freebies.” In return, he promises investment in education, infrastructure, employment, state-backed dairy initiatives and bans. Representation of women is another important issue; NTK reserves half of its tickets for women and advocates equal participation in management.
At the same time, Seeman’s politics have come under criticism for his controversial remarks, particularly those targeting religious communities. While he claimed that Tamils followed ‘Saivam’ and ‘Vaishnavam’ rather than Hinduism, he also made outreach gestures that highlighted the complex and sometimes contradictory nature of his political position, including putting forward Brahmin candidates.
In a state long dominated by two major Dravidian powers, Seeman may not have yet been able to translate his visibility into electoral victories, but his growing vote share and distinct ideological stance have ensured that he remains a political force that cannot be easily ignored.
(With inputs from TOI)
