Chennai | From his early days as a leader of Kullapalayam Panchayat in Coimbatore during the 1970s, K A Sengottaiyan has carved out a storied 50-year career in Tamil Nadu politics. His journey from a grassroots party worker to a 10-time legislator stands as a testament to his political endurance.

Born in 1948, Sengottaiyan's ascent began when he was just 29 years old. His tireless work earned him his first MLA seat from the Sathyamangalam assembly constituency in 1977, when the AIADMK first rose to power under its legendary founder M G Ramachandran, who was fondly called MGR.

After MGR's passing, Sengottaiyan emerged as a staunch loyalist of J Jayalalithaa. Throughout AIADMK's various terms in power, he held several key portfolios, most notably serving as the Revenue Minister.

His influence continued in the administration of Edappadi K Palaniswami, where he served as the School Education Minister.

In this role, he was credited with introducing ambitious reforms.

He was expelled from the AIADMK in November 2025 after a series of public disagreements with Palaniswami, and he soon joined the Vijay-led TVK, where his decades of political experience proved invaluable.

Sengottaiyan defeated his nearest rival, N Nallasivam of the DMK, by a decent margin of 16,620 votes, securing 82,612 votes in the April 23 assembly elections.