Popular south Indian actor Vijayakumar joined BJP on Wednesday in the run-up to the Tamil Nadu assembly elections scheduled on 16 May, 2016. Parties will contest for 234 assembly seats—Karunanidhi’s DMK and Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK being the chief contenders.
Vijayakumar joined the party in the presence of the union minister of state for road transport, highways and shipping P Radhakrishnan. Vijayakumar has acted in more than 800 south Indian films. Actress Sridevi is his youngest daughter.
The veteran actor spoke to the media after his induction and said that he would campaign for the party when required. “I am known in all the southern states by virtue of my acting in all the regional language movies. People in Tamil Nadu know me well,” he said.
BJP struggles to make an impact in the southern states. By roping in film personalities to attract voters—a long tradition in the south—the party hopes for a breakthrough that has often dodged it.
Noted Tamil director and actor Vishu, actress Gayathri Jayaraman and music director Gangai Amaran have already joined the party. Reportedly, BJP also hopes to rope in the influential youth actor Vishal. Vishal was recently elected as Nadigar Sangham’s general secretary.
