GUWAHATI: K Padmarajan, a 65-year-old homeopathic doctor-turned-tyre repair shop owner hailing from Mettur in Tamil Nadu's Salem district has contested in 238 elections in various levels of governance from local to Lok Sabha and has lost.
ALSO READ: Surge in Women's Football Registration By AIFF Marks Historic Growth For Indian Football
Despite his failure, Padmarajan has earned himself the title of 'Election King,' a badge of honour he wears very proudly rather than a mark of failure.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections he is contesting from two places - Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu and Thrissur in Kerala, as per reports.
His electoral journey over the past 36 years reportedly encompasses a diverse array of contests, including six presidential polls, six vice-presidential polls, 32
Click Here To Join Our WhatsApp Channel
Lok Sabha elections, 50 Rajya Sabha elections, and 73 Assembly elections.
In an interview Padmarajan said, "It does not matter who my opponents are. My main aim is to just contest the elections. Winning or losing depends on the voters. Before every election, I do my research and think who are the VIPs I can contest against.’
In the following years he has pitted himself against stalwarts including Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, PV Narasimha Rao, Pranab Mukherjee, Pratibha Patil, KR Narayanan, and APJ Abdul Kalam.
He has also contested against PM Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Jayalalithaa, M Karunanidhi, AK Antony, SM Krishna, and Jagdish Shettar.
His name has also been reportedly added to the India Book Records and the Limca Book of Records for being the most unsuccessful candidate.