Nasser camp gets big boost with Kamal's backing for polls

What started as an insurgent campaign to upend the Nadigar Sangam establishment has seemingly picked up winning momentum with Kamal Haasan announcing he will back the Pandavar Ani headed by actors Vishal and Nasser.
Kamal Haasan, who was dubbing for his upcoming film 'Thoongavanam', met Vishal, Nasser, Karti, Karunas, Ponvannan and others on Thursday and proposed Nasser's candidature for the post of president of the South India Film Artistes' Association.Yesteryear actor Mohan seconded the proposal. Nasser will fight it out with incumbent president R Sarathkumar. 'Extremely happy to see the legend (Kamal Haasan) supporting us and the cause we are standing up for,' said Vishal.
The Pandavar Ani is planning to hold a gathering of its supporters at actor Rajinikanth's Raghavendra Mandapam at Kodambakkam on Friday evening. Observers were reading into the choice of venue, wondering if Rajinikanth too had thrown his weight behind the Ani. The elections are scheduled to be held on October 18.
The ruling administration headed by Sarathkumar and Radha Ravi has been in power for the last three terms after winning unopposed. However trouble began in 2010 when the duo signed an agreement with Sathyam Cinemas to lease out the Nadigar Sangam headquarters at T Nagar, inviting suspicion from various film actors. Critics allege that the deal is a losing proposition for the Sangam and say that the Sangam should develop the property, not lease it out to others.
Opposition has since built up against Sarathkumar and Radha Ravi, uniting a bevy of young actors like Arya, Surya, Jeeva, Jeyam Ravi and Vijay Sethupathi among others. The younger lot, marshalled by Nasser, will face off against Sarathkumar and Radha Ravi who have decades of experience in election campaigning.
Sarathkumar is an MLA and heads the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi, which is an ally of the ruling AIADMK. However the AIADMK has not announced support for the actor so far. Radha Ravi who has been an office-bearer in the Nadigar Sangam for three decades is also a two-time MLA.
With an uphill task at hand, the Pandavar Ani is leaving no stones unturned. On Friday, the team will garland statues of Nadigar Sangam founders Kalaivanar NS Krishnan and Sivaji Ganesan, followed by a visit to the MGR Samadhi (memorial) at Marina.