At just 29 years old, S Keerthana has created history by becoming the youngest MLA in Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam led by Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar.

Keerthana secured victory in the Sivakasi constituency in Virudhunagar district during the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, quickly emerging as one of the party’s most promising young leaders.

Born in Virudhunagar in 1996, Keerthana completed her schooling in a Tamil-medium government school before pursuing higher education. She earned a BSc in Mathematics from a college affiliated with Madurai Kamaraj University and later completed her MSc in Statistics from Pondicherry University.

Before entering active politics, she built her career as a political consultant with Showtime Consulting and IPAC, where she worked on major election campaigns across India.

During her time as a strategist, Keerthana contributed to campaigns involving leaders such as M. K. Stalin, Mamata Banerjee and N. Chandrababu Naidu.

According to Keerthana, these experiences gave her a deeper understanding of governance, administration and the inner workings of bureaucracy.

One of the standout qualities that shaped her political journey is her ability to speak five languages fluently, including Tamil, English, Hindi and Telugu.

“Language gave me opportunities to work across different states,” she said, adding that speaking Hindi also helped her connect Vijay’s political message with a wider audience across India.

In the 2026 Assembly election, Keerthana secured 68,709 votes and defeated Congress candidate Ashokan G with a margin of 11,670 votes.

Her victory also marked a historic political moment, as she became the first female MLA from Sivakasi in nearly seven decades to defeat a former AIADMK minister.

Speaking about her decision to join TVK, Keerthana said the party gave opportunities to individuals without political influence or financial background.

“TVK is a place where everyone has access. Even if I don’t come from a political or money background, I am here. If you genuinely want to work for the people, you are welcome,” she said.

From analysing political campaigns behind the scenes to now becoming one of Tamil Nadu’s youngest MLAs, S Keerthana’s journey reflects the rise of a new generation of young political voices in the state.

Source / Image Credit : NDTV  , Deccan Herald