He is a leader of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, and was Union Minister of State, Health and Family Welfare (Independent Charge) during the second Vajpayee government in 1998-99.
The majority of the population belongs to Vanniyar, most of them supporting the state political party Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and its alliance.
Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) party deriving strength from vanniars, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katch (VCK) party based on Dalit votes and Puthiya Thamilagam based on another sect of Dalits have been gaining prominence in Tamil Nadu.
The leader of the party claims to represent Mudaliars and he argued that Vanniars have exploited the political machinery in Tamil Nadu through Pattali Makkal Katchi to attain reservation benefits and political representations.
Statewide Road Blockade Agitations were launched by Vanniar Sangam (Parent Body of Pattali Makkal Katchi) demanding 20% reservations in State Government and 2% Reservations in Central Government exclusively for Vanniyar Caste.
He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as a Pattali Makkal Katchi candidate from Panruti constituency in 2001, and 2006 elections.
In this election the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) decided to stay with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), but the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK (breakaway)), and the left parties decided to ally itself with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the newly formed Third Front.
Most major Tamil Nadu regional parties such as DMK, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) frequently participate as coalition partners of other pan-Indian parties in the Union Government of India at New Delhi.