MLA · 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly (2026–31)Former MLA · 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly (2026–31)

R. Sakkarapani
  • Won 2026 by 43,249

R. Sakkarapani

ஆர். சக்கரபாணி

MLA for Oddanchatram since May 2026MLA for Oddanchatram, 2026–31DMK

  • AC 128 · Dindigul district
  • Sitting MLA · 17th Assembly (2026–31)
  • Age 64 at the 2026 election
declared assets
₹15.65 cr
pending criminal cases
0
education
Graduate
times elected MLA
7

Assets, cases and education as declared in the 2026 sworn affidavit to the Election Commission of India. Age: from the Election Commission's candidate profile.

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Career

R. Sakkarapani: the career, year by year

  1. 1996
  2. 2001
  3. 2006
  4. 2011
  5. 2016
  6. 2021
  7. 2026

Elected from Oddanchatram 7 times

  • Assembly win
  • Office held
  • Party
  1. Early career

    Joins the DMK as a youth organiser in Dindigul; works through the Oddanchatram Assembly segment under the leaderships of M. Karunanidhi.

  2. 1996

    First MLA win from Oddanchatram on the DMK ticket as part of the DMK-TMC sweep.

  3. 2001

    Re-elected from Oddanchatram even as the DMK lost statewide to AIADMK.

  4. 2006

    Wins a third consecutive term; appointed Chief Government Whip in the DMK government, a post he held through 2011.

  5. 2011

    Re-elected from Oddanchatram for a fourth term; DMK Whip in the opposition until 2016.

  6. 2016

    Wins a fifth term; continues as DMK Whip in opposition through 2021.

  7. 7 May 2021

    Wins a sixth term; sworn in as Minister for Food and Civil Supplies in M. K. Stalin's first cabinet — overseeing the public distribution system, ration card reforms, and paddy procurement during the COVID recovery.

  8. 4 May 2026

    Won Oddanchatram for the DMK (polling was on 23 April).

    See the full 2026 result
  9. 11 May 2026

    Took oath as MLA in the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly — beginning his seventh consecutive term from Oddanchatram.

Profile

About R. Sakkarapani

This is his seventh consecutive Assembly term from Oddanchatram (1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021, 2026). He served as Tamil Nadu's Minister for Food and Civil Supplies through the 2021-26 term in M. K. Stalin's first cabinet, overseeing the public distribution system and paddy procurement.

Party
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Born
Born in Kaaliyappagoundanpatti (Pungavalasu) village near Kallimandayam, Dindigul district
Profession
Politician; long-time DMK organiser in Dindigul; former Food and Civil Supplies Minister
District
Dindigul

Education

  • ·(
  • B.AEconomics),American College Madurai,Madurai Kamarajar University,Madurai-1983

Party & ideology

Sakkarapani is the textbook DMK Dravidian — Karunanidhi-school party loyalty, agrarian-welfare politics, and a deep grass-roots base in the Oddanchatram-Palani-Athoor belt of Dindigul. His Food portfolio in 2021-26 sat at the heart of the DMK's social-welfare delivery: free ration scheme expansion, pongal gift hampers, and the recovery of paddy procurement after COVID. Inside the party he is one of the senior post-Karunanidhi voices on agrarian issues and PDS reform.

Family

S/o · D/o · W/o Rangaswamy Gounder. Spouse: Agricultural & Business.

Official channels

X (Twitter)InstagramFacebook

Questions people ask

How many times has R. Sakkarapani won?

Seven consecutive times from Oddanchatram — 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2026.

What portfolio did he hold in M. K. Stalin's cabinet?

Minister for Food and Civil Supplies — for the full 2021-26 term in M. K. Stalin's first cabinet. He oversaw the public distribution system, ration card modernisation, paddy procurement and the Pongal gift-hamper scheme.

What was his role as DMK Whip?

Chief Government Whip during the 2006-11 DMK government, then DMK Whip in opposition through both the 2011-16 and 2016-21 Assemblies. Whip is a senior parliamentary-discipline post that coordinates the party's voting strength on the floor of the House.

Other MLAs from Dindigul district

K. RavimanoharanPalani · AIADMKI. PeriasamyAthoor · DMKR. AyyanarNilakkottai · TVKNatham R. ViswanathanNatham · AIADMKI. P. SenthilkumarDindigul · DMKT. SaminathanVedasandur · DMK

Page last changed 2 October 2026.

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