CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Thursday roped in actor-turned politician R Sarathkumar, from the Nadar community, into her alliance by allotting two seats for his party All India Samathuva Makhal Katchi.
Just a couple of days ago, a number of Nadar community organisations came together and formed a new outfit called Perunthalaivar Makhal Katchi and made Sarathkumar its leader and announced that the outfit would align with either DMK or AIADMK provided if they allotted an ‘honourable’ number of seats. Or else, the outfit threatened to go it alone in 50 constituencies.
However, Sarathkumar clarified that he did not join the alliance on behalf of Nadar organisations.
He said the only aim was to remove the corrupt DMK from power and that he would campaign with leaders like Vijaykanth.He called on Jayalalithaa at her residence and signed seat-sharing agreement. He said that the seats his party would contest would be announced later.
Sarathkumar (58) is back in AIADMK fold after four and a half years but with a difference.
In 2006, he joined as an AIADMK member and now he is one of the partners of the alliance. In 2006, just a month ahead of the Assembly polls, he and his wife Radhika joined the AIADMK but she was expelled on October 18 and he quit the party on November 6. He launched his own party on September 1, 2007, Akila India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) or the All India People’s Party for Equality.
Radhika who was heading Radan TV - which produced serials and shows for the pro-DMK Sun TV, stayed away from politics but continued to be a DMK loyalist.