Independent candidate takes on Narendra Modi from Vodadara constituency. (Photo: PTI)
Padmarajan, who is a qualified homoeopathic doctor, has already fought and lost all the 158 elections in the past. "This is my 159th nomination. I call myself as the Election King of India. I have fought elections since last 25 years just to set a world record of fighting maximum number of elections.
I will continue fighting elections till I accomplish my aim," he said. A native of Mettur in Tamilnadu, Padmarajan got attracted towards Vadodara after BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi chose the seat. "I usually prefer to fight against popular leaders. Earlier, I fought against Atal Bihari Vajpayee, APJ Abdul Kalam, Pratibha Patil, Manmohan Singh. Winning or losing doesn't matter to me," he said, adding that he never even campaigns after filing nomination.
Not just Lok Sabha or Assembly election, Padmarajan has contested as an independent, and eventually lost, in Rajya Sabha, Presidential and Vice-Presidential polls too. "I fought my first election in 1988. I don't have any political agenda, so I never do any canvassing. I am doing it only for records," he said while claiming to have spent more than Rs 12 lakhs till date on filing nominations.
Though Padmarajan never keeps a track of how many votes he secured, his popularity in his hometown fetched him more than 6,000 votes three years back. "I fought the Assembly election from Mettur seat in 2011 and secured 6,273 votes, the highest I have secured till date," he said.
