The famous line from a poem by Harivansh Rai Bachchan, “Those who try never really lose,” fits perfectly with K. Padmarajan, a 65-year-old tire repair shop owner known as the “election king.” Even though he’s lost 238 times before, he’s still determined to run in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district. His journey as a candidate began in 1988.
While some may view his electoral stints as a series of losses, Padmarajan sees success in his resilience. Here’s his story –
The tire repair shop owner, aged 65, started contesting elections in 1988 from his hometown, Mettur, located in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. When he decided to enter the political arena, many people chuckled, but he expressed his desire to demonstrate that an ordinary individual can participate. “Every candidate aims for victory in elections,” remarked Padmarajan, adorned in a vibrant shawl and sporting an imposing walrus mustache. “But not me.”
For him, the essence of triumph lies in participation itself, and he mentioned that he finds contentment even in defeat. In this year’s general elections in India, spanning six weeks starting from April 19, he is vying for a parliamentary seat in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district .Frequently referred to as the “Election King,” Padmarajan has competed in elections across the country, ranging from presidential to local polls.
Popularly known as the “Election King,” Padmarajan has participated in a wide array of elections across the country, spanning from presidential to local polls. Among his adversaries, he has faced notable figures such as PM Modi, Vajpayee, Dr. Singh, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
“For me, it’s about being involved,” he remarked. “Winning isn’t my primary concern. I don’t even bother about who my opponent is.”
Currently, Padmarajan’s main focus is on extending his string of defeats. He aspires to secure a place as India’s most unsuccessful candidate in the Limca Book of Records, which archives notable Indian achievements.
However, his electoral pursuits haven’t been without expenses—he estimates spending thousands of rupees on nomination fees over more than three decades. This includes a security deposit of Rs 25,000 for his latest attempt, which will only be refunded if he manages to garner more than 16 percent of the vote.
Padmarajan’s most noteworthy performance was in 2011 when he contested the Assembly elections in Mettur. Despite securing only 6,273 votes compared to the eventual winner’s over 75,000, he found solace in the fact that people showed acceptance towards him.
In addition to running his tire repair shop, Padmarajan also provides homeopathic remedies and works as an editor for local media. However, he considers his involvement in elections as his most significant undertaking.
“For me, failure holds more value,” he explained. “I keep meticulous records of my nomination papers and identity cards from each unsuccessful bid, all carefully laminated for safekeeping. Each document bears the various campaign symbols I’ve used over time, including a fish, ring, hat, telephone, and now, tires.”
Years of participating in elections have finally paid off.
Once mocked, Padmarajan is now invited to speak to students about resilience, using his electoral campaigns as examples of how to recover from failure. “I don’t focus on winning—failure is the best teacher,” he stated. “If we adopt this mindset, we won’t feel stressed.”
Padmarajan firmly believes in democracy. He emphasized the importance, especially now, for every citizen to exercise their voting rights. “It’s their fundamental right; they should vote. In this context, there’s no concept of winning or losing,” he remarked.
He is determined not to give up. Padmarajan expressed his intention to continue contesting elections until his last breath, though he would be utterly astonished if he were ever to win. “I’d probably have a heart attack,” he chuckled.
Despite initial skepticism and being mocked, he resolved to show the world that politics is for all.
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