Popular Tamil actor and founder president of All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK), R. Sharath Kumar is likely to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
According to senior leaders of the Tamil Nadu BJP, discussions with Sharath Kumar are at an advanced phase and if he joins NDA, the actor politician will, in all likelihood be allocated the Tirunelveli Loksabha seat.
It is to be noted that Sharath Kumar had contested the Lok Sabha elections from Tirunelveli constituency in 1998 on a DMK ticket but lost. However, he was made a Rajya Sabha Member in 2001 by DMK.
In 2006, Sharath Kumar and his wife, actor and politician Radhika Sharath Kumar joined the AIADMK. However, AIADMK expelled Radhika after a few years leading to Sharath Kumar also quitting the party amid floating his own party (AISMK) in 2011. In the ensuing assembly elections of 2011.
Sharath Kumar contested from Tenkasi on his party ticket and won the polls.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, Sharath Kumar contested in alliance with Tamil super star, Kamal Haasan‘s political outfit, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM ) but lost.
It is to be noted that after the AIADMK snapped ties with BJP, the saffron outfit is scouting for a broader alliance with smaller parties and at the same time keeping open options of reentering the alliance with AIADMK.