{{short description|Indian politician}} {{BLP sources|date=November 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = V. Vaithilingam | birth_name = Vaithilingam | image = Vaithilingam.jpg | caption = V. Vaithilingam at 27th Flower, Vegetable and Fruit Show, Pondicherry | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1950|10|5}} | birth_place = Cuddalore, Madras State, India | office = President of Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee | term_start = {{Start date|df=y|2023|06|09}} | term_end =08 May 2026 | predecessor = A. V. Subramanian | successor = | office1 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | term_start1 = 23 May 2019 | term_end1 = | majority1 = 136,516 (16.90%) | predecessor1 = R. Radhakrishnan | constituency1 = Puducherry | office2 = 6th Chief Minister of Puducherry | term_start2 = 4 July 1991 | term_end2 = 13 May 1996 | predecessor2 = M. D. R. Ramachandran | successor2 = R. V. Janakiraman | term_start3 = 4 September 2008 | term_end3 = 15 May 2011 | predecessor3 = N. Rangaswamy | successor3 = N. Rangaswamy | office4 = Speaker of Puducherry Legislative Assembly | term_start4 = 12 June 2016 | term_end4 = 21 March 2019 | deputy4 = V.P. Sivakolundu | constituency4 = Kamaraj Nagar | office5 = Member of the Puducherry Legislative Assembly | constituency5 = Kamaraj Nagar | term_start5 = 13 May 2011 | predecessor5 = ''New constituency'' | term_end5 = 23 May 2019 | successor5 = A. Johnkumar | constituency6 = Nettapakkam | term_start6 = 13 May 1985 | predecessor6 = R. Subbaraya Gounder | term_end6 = 13 May 2011 | successor6 = L. Periyasamy | party = Indian National Congress | spouse = Sasikala | children = 1 son and 1 daughter | alma_mater = Loyola College, Chennai }} '''V. Vaithilingam''' (born 5 October 1950) is an Indian politician belonging to the Indian National Congress, who currently represents Puducherry in the Lok Sabha. He held the position as the 11th Chief Minister of Pondicherry from 1991 to 1996 and the 16th Chief Minister of Puducherry again from 2008 to 2011. He is a senior legislator serving eight consecutive terms.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2023-06-09 |title=Lok Sabha MP V Vaithilingam appointed as president of Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/puducherry/lok-sabha-mp-v-vaithilingam-appointed-as-president-of-puducherry-pradesh-congress-committee/articleshow/100884277.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-08-17 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
He headed the Pondicherry Government from 1991 to 1996 and the Congress Legislative party from 1991 to 2000. His priorities as Chief Minister were to minimize the budget deficit, increase private sector participation in public transport, and improve the health care system. He first became Chief Minister at the age of 40, making him the second youngest Chief Minister of Puducherry.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2016-05-18 |title=V Vaithilingam: Will Puducherry give him a chance to be CM again? |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections-2016/puducherry-elections-2016/news/v-vaithilingam-will-puducherry-give-him-a-chance-to-be-cm-again/articleshow/52327570.cms |access-date=2023-08-17 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
== Early life ==
He was born in Cuddalore and was raised in his native home Madukarai, Puducherry. After completing his schooling, he went to Loyola College in Chennai and later went to Madukkarai to take care of his family farms. In 1969, Vaithilingam married Miss Sasikala. From an early age, he developed exceptional leadership skills, an example of which was his role as the Chairman of Land Development Bank of Puducherry State.
The Vaithilingam family is known for their work as freedom fighters against French rule.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-06-10 |title=Multiple challenges ahead of V. Vaithilingam, new chief of Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/multiple-challenges-ahead-of-v-vaithilingam-new-chief-of-puducherry-pradesh-congress-committee/article66953737.ece |access-date=2023-08-17 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> His paternal grandfather late Vaithilingam Reddiar was the Mayor of Nettapakkam commune during the French rule in Puducherry. His father V. Venkatasubha Reddiar was also a Chief Minister of Pondicherry.
== Political career ==
In 1980, at the age of 30, he ran for the Legislative Assembly and lost by a narrow margin of 90 odd votes. In 1985, Vaithilingam was elected become Public Works and Power Minister, which he served until 1990.<ref name=":1" /> From 1991 to 1996 he served as the Chief Minister of Pondicherry. Under his administration, Pondicherry saw a drastic growth in the industrial and education sector. He advocated smaller government and greater participation of the private sector. Vaithilingam also benefited from the management of the economy and the liberalization policies followed by Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao.
In 1996 elections, the Indian National Congress became the single largest party, but their alliance lost the elections and Vaithilingam was appointed the Leader of Opposition until 1999. In 2001, he won from Nettapakkam constituency but was not able to serve as Chief Minister due to being falsely charged with an attempt to corrupt a fellow legislator. He was later acquitted on all charges.<ref name=":0" /> During this period, N. Rangaswamy was chosen as Chief Minister and Vaithilingam served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in his cabinet until 2006.
From 2006 to 2008, Vaithilingam served as the Minister of Agriculture and Industries.<ref name=":1" /> He was elected Chief Minister in 2008 and he served until 2011. He became Leader of the Opposition in 2011 election and he became Speaker of the House in 2016, and resigned in 2019 after becoming a member of the Parliament of India for Puducherry.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, V. Vaithilingam was chosen to represent the Indian National Congress party, and he defeated All India N.R. Congress candidate Dr. Narayanasamy Kesavan. In 2024, he was re-elected, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party candidate A. Namassivayam. As part of the Secular Progressive Alliance, he lost to N. Rangaswamy and placed fourth in the 2026 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election. He was defeated in Thattanchavady Assembly constituency and lost his security deposit.<ref>{{cite news |author=Express News Service |title=V Vaithilingam resigns as Puducherry Congress chief after poll rout |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/elections/puducherry-elections/2026/May/07/v-vaithilingam-resigns-as-puducherry-congress-chief-after-poll-rout |work=The New Indian Express |date=7 May 2026 |access-date=19 May 2026}}</ref>
==Electoral history== *'''Member of the Legislative Assembly''' {| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Post !! Constituency !! Party !! Opponent !! Opposition Party !! Result |- | 1980 || M.L.A|| Nettapakkam || INC || R. Subaraya Gounder || JNP || {{Lost}} |- | 1985 || M.L.A|| Nettapakkam || INC || P. Ramamurthy || DMK || {{Won}} |- | 1990 || M.L.A|| Nettapakkam || INC || N. Devadass || DMK || {{Won}} |- | 1991 || M.L.A || Nettapakkam ||INC|| R. Subraya Gounder || DMK || {{Won}} |- | 1996 || M.L.A ||Nettapakkam ||INC|| V. Muthunarayanan || Independent || {{Won}} |- | 2001 || M.L.A ||Nettapakkam ||INC|| K. Dhanraju || PMK || {{Won}} |- | 2006 || M.L.A ||Nettapakkam ||INC|| V. Muthunarayanan ||PMC || {{Won}} |- | 2011|| M.L.A ||Kamaraj Nagar ||INC|| Nara Kalainathan || CPI || {{Won}} |- | 2016 || M.L.A ||Kamaraj Nagar ||INC|| P. Ganesan || AIADMK || {{Won}} |- | 2026 || M.L.A|| Thattanchavady || INC || N. Rangaswamy || AINRC || {{Lost}} |- |}
*'''Member of Parliament''' {| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Post !! Constituency !! Party !! Opponent !! Opposition Party !! Result |- | 2019|| M.P ||Puducherry ||INC|| Dr. Narayanasamy Kesavan || All India N.R. Congress || {{Won}} |- | 2024 || M.P ||Puducherry ||INC|| A. Namassivayam || BJP || {{Won}} |}
== Comeback == Vaithilingam was falsely charged with an attempt to corrupt a fellow legislator.<ref>[http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?203315 "The Defection Bazaar"], (''Outlook India''), 2 April 1997</ref> Although he was found not guilty and acquitted on all charges, Vaithilingam lost his leadership of the Congress Legislative party in 2000. He was for the sixth time elected to the legislature and served as Industries and Power Minister in N.Rangaswamy cabinet in 2006.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121021173333/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-09-04/india/27901371_1_office-and-secrecy-vaithilingam-ministers "Vaithilingam sworn in as Puducherry Chief Minister"], IST, PTI (''Times of India''), 4 September 2008.</ref>
==Positions held== {{S-start}} {{S-off}} {{s-bef|before = D. Ramachandran}} {{s-ttl|title = Chief Minister of Pondicherry|years =4 July 1991–13 May 1996}} {{s-aft|after=R.V. Janakiraman}} |- {{s-bef|before = V.M.C. Ganapathy}} {{s-ttl|title = Leader of Opposition of Puducherry|years = 26 May 1996–21 March 2000}} {{s-aft|after=R.V. Janakiraman}} |- {{s-bef|before = N. Rangaswamy}} {{s-ttl|title = Chief Minister of Puducherry|years = 4 September 2008–15 May 2011}} {{s-aft|after=N. Rangaswamy}} |- {{s-bef|before = A.M.H. Nazeem}} {{s-ttl|title = Leader of Opposition of Puducherry|years = 2011–2016}} {{s-aft|after=N. Rangaswamy}} |- {{s-bef|before = V. Sabapathy}} {{s-ttl|title = Speaker of Puducherry|years = 10 June 2016–21 Mar. 2019}} {{s-aft|after=V.P. Sivakolundhu}} {{S-end}} {{Chief ministers of Puducherry}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|V. Vaithilingam}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaithilingam, V.}} Category:1950 births Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Puducherry Category:Chief ministers of Puducherry Category:Living people Category:Leaders of the opposition in Puducherry Category:People from Cuddalore district Category:Chief ministers from Indian National Congress Category:People from Pondicherry Category:State cabinet ministers of Puducherry Category:Speakers of Puducherry Legislative Assembly Category:India MPs 2019–2024 Category:India MPs 2024–2029 Category:Pondicherry MLAs 1985–1990 Category:Pondicherry MLAs 1990–1991 Category:Pondicherry MLAs 1991–1996 Category:Pondicherry MLAs 1996–2001 Category:Pondicherry MLAs 2001–2006 Category:Puducherry MLAs 2006–2011 Category:Puducherry MLAs 2011–2016 Category:Puducherry MLAs 2016–2021 Category:Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance candidates in 2024 Indian general election