A. C. Shanmugam is the founder and president of the Puthiya Needhi Katchi, a caste-based political party for the Thuluva Vellalar caste in Tamil Nadu, India.

[3] Subsequently, he held the posts of MP and Member of the Legislative Assembly, before founding the New Justice Party.

[4] In 2014, as a BJP candidate he contested elections in Vellore Lok Sabha constituency and lost.

[5] He stood from the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency in 2019 on a AIADMK ticket and lost.

The leader of the party claims to represent Mudaliars and Pillaimars castes significantly present from all over Tamil Nadu.