Veerappan’s family members have entered electoral politics, with his daughter contesting from Mettur and his wife from Krishnagiri.
Veerappan, who was involved in sandalwood smuggling in the 1990s and was accused of killing police and forest officials, was pursued by a joint special task force formed by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. He was shot dead in 2004.
Two decades after his death, his daughter and wife are seeking to reshape how Veerappan is remembered, attempting to move his image from that of a feared criminal to a figure projected as a defender of Tamil rights.
His elder daughter, 35-year-old advocate Vidyarani, is contesting the Mettur constituency as a Naam Tamilar Katchi candidate. She had earlier contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Krishnagiri on the same party ticket and secured over one lakh votes.
Veerappan’s wife Muthulakshmi is contesting from Krishnagiri on the Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi ticket. She had entered politics by contesting as an independent in the 2006 Assembly election, and in her current campaign she has been focusing largely on farmers’ distress and crises.
