Star Power: Actor R Sarath Kumar merges AISMK with BJP

In the presence of AISMK office-bearers and BJP Tamil Nadu unit president K Annamalai, Kumar merged his party with the saffron party.

Kumar is likely to be named as the BJP’s candidate for the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu.

Betting on the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kumar, addressing his party workers here, said, “Modi would helm the nation further, towards fostering unity and nurture economic growth”.

Ending the scourge of drugs and ensuring the welfare of the youths is bright under Modi’s leadership, he said.

Sixty-nine-year-old Kumar appealed to his party workers to work towards bringing the BJP to power in Tamil Nadu following polls to the State Assembly in 2026.

After being in the DMK, which sent him to the Rajya Sabha, he quit that party and joined the AIADMK and eventually founded the AISMK in 2007. His party secured two seats in the Assembly during the 2011 elections.

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam offers ‘unconditional support’

Earlier on Monday, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) party announced that it will be joining hands with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran said that the AMMK has offered its ‘unconditional support’ to the BJP to ensure victory in Tamil Nadu. Dhinakaran is also an AIADM rebel and nephew of J Jayalalithaa’s close aide ‘Chinnamma’ VK Sasikala.

Addressing a press conference Dhinakaran said, “We Amma Makkal Munetra Kazhagam (AMMK) is going to form an alliance with BJP to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and also we have given unconditional support to BJP Alliance.”