Actor-politician and Mylapore MLA S Ve Shekher, who had remained an “unattached member” since his expulsion from AIADMK in 2009, joined the Congress today in the presence of senior party leaders.
Mr. Shekher joined the Congress at the party headquarters here in the presence of TNCC President K V Thangkabalu and Union Shipping favour G K Vasan.
There were speculations he would join DMK following his proximity with party President M Karunanidhi and his son M K Stalin. Mr. Shekher, however, chose to join the national party and said he had kept DMK leaders informed of his decision.
“I had informed the DMK president of my decision and sought his blessings and wishes,” he later told reporters.
Mr. Stalin, with whom he said he had good friendly relations, was also aware of Mr. Shekher’s decision.
Mr. Shekher, a multi-faceted comedian who has acted in many films, had won from Brahmin-dominated Mylapore constituency in Chennai in 2006 Assembly elections as AIADMK’s candidate. He had trounced DMK’s D Napolean, now Union Minister of state for Social justice and empowerment.
Though initially considered close to party chief Jayalalithaa, he had later fallen out of favour with her following differences. He was expelled in 2009 and has since remained an “unattached member” in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.