V. R. Karuppasamy Pandian

V. Karuppasamy Pandian (1 July 1947 – 26 March 2025) was an Indian politician and a former Member of the Legislative Assembly in Tamil Nadu. He served as the Organising Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) from 2020 until his death in 2025. A senior leader from Tirunelveli district, he was known for his long-standing association with the party and his role in its organisational structure.

Career Pandian was a supporter of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) founder and former Chief Minister, M. G. Ramachandran. Both Ramachandran and party general secretary Jayalalithaa appointed him to various party roles from 1972, culminating in him becoming deputy general secretary of the party in 1996.

Pandian was elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly as an AIADMK candidate from Alangulam constituency in the 1977 elections. He was re-elected, this time from the Palayamkottai constituency, in the 1980 elections.

In 2000, Pandian was expelled from the AIADMK by Jayalalithaa. He joined the rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on 2 May 2000, was given various posts by that party and had hopes of obtaining a state-level post within it.

After being suspended from the DMK in May 2015 after allegedly attempting to have his son appointed to an official post within the party, Pandian remained silent for a while before being readmitted to the AIADMK on 26 July 2016 by Jayalalithaa. He had frequently severely criticised Jayalalithaa during his DMK membership but after his expulsion had heaped praise upon her. He rejoined AIADMK on 5 January 2020. He was appointed an Organizing secretary of AIADMK on 25 July 2020. He accepted the leadership of AIADMK General Secretary under Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

Death On 26 March 2025, Pandian died at his residence at Thiruththu near Palayamkottai. He was 77.

Electoral career Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections contested ElectionsConstituencyPartyResultVote percentageOpposition CandidateOpposition PartyOpposition vote percentage 1977 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly electionAlangulamAIADMK28.43R. Navaneetha Krishna PandianJP25.841980 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly electionPalayamkottaiAIADMK57.96Suba SeetharamanDMK42.041984 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly electionPalayamkottaiAIADMK47.09V. S. T. ShamsulalamDMK51.921989 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly electionAlangulamAIADMK(J)21.87S. S. RamasubbuINC28.571991 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly electionPalayamkottaiThayaga Marumalarchi Kazhagam39.07P. DharamalingamAIADMK46.112001 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly electionTenkasiDMK44.18K. AnnamalaiAIADMK51.412006 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly electionTenkasiDMK49.98Rama. UdayasuriyanMDMK36.612011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly electionTenkasiDMK40.78R. SarathkumarAISMK54.30