All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) chief R Sarath Kumar on Sunday declared in no uncertain terms that his party’s loyalties would continue with the ruling AIADMK. He also declared that his party would back the AIADMK in the coming Lok Sabha polls.
The actor-turned-politician’s declaration of support came on Sunday at Chennai’s Island Grounds, in what party circles claim is the biggest public meeting ever held by the party. Sarath Kumar also used the platform to shoot down suggestions that the AISMK was a Nadar party, and insisted that it was aimed at reaching out across the lines of caste and religion.
However, banners and invocations to K Kamaraj, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the biggest Nadar face of the State’s politics, were ubiquitous through the public meeting as well as at the venue. Speakers also repeatedly harped that their party was functioning in the footsteps of Kamaraj.
The party also announced that it would take steps to set up a massive memorial to Kamaraj, close to his native Virudhunagar. The tentative plans for the memorial were released in the form of an animated video at the public meeting.