Actor Kumaresan Duraisamy, known by his stage name as Napolean, has said that the members and office-bearers of the Nadigar Sangam were unnecessarily sensationalising issues.
Napolean was the vice-president of the Nadigar Sangam in the 2000s when actor-politician Vijayakanth was the president. He told Thanthi TV recently that although they came from various political parties and ideologies back then, they settled differences amicably.
He said, “No issue would reach the press. This was when I was the vice president and Vijaykanth was president. Sarathkumar was the secretary and SS Chandran was also the vice president. Radha Ravi was a committee member then, and also a member of the AIADMK. SS Chandran was an MP, I was an MLA and member of the DMK, while Sarathkumar sir was an MP with the DMK.”
“Vijayakanth was not in politics then. The rest of us were MLAs and MPs in different parties but when we stepped into the Sangam, we never spoke politics. Today, no one in the Sangam knows how to be political, yet they are involved in politics all the time. It is disappointing to see this,” he said.
Vijayakanth was elected president of the Sangam in 2000, and two years later Napolean, SS Chandran and Radha Ravi joined his team as vice-presidents. When Vijayakanth formed his party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam in 2005, he stepped down from his post in the Sangam. Napolean was expected to contest for president but following his loss in the state elections in 2006, he too opted out.
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The year’s elections to the South Indian Artists’ Association (SIAA) was held on June 23 after many controversies. The Madras High Court has initiated criminal proceedings against actor-producer Ishari Ganesh for trying to influence the judge to postpone elections. It was also reported that Radha Ravi was associated with A Elumalai, who filed a case in the court seeking a stay in elections. The Chennai police had also said in the last minute that protection cannot be provided in MGR Janaki College, and the venue was not known until a day before the elections.
The ballots are currently with the South Indian Bank in Nungambakkam, Chennai, and the association is awaiting the High Court’s verdict on July 8 to decide on the alleged illegal termination of 61 members of the council, and to decide the dates and venue for ballot counting.