Kushboo jumps on the DMK bandwagon
Actress won’t be given RS ticket: MK
Looking for younger crowd-pullers in the run-up to the Assembly elections, the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu on Friday admitted actor Kushboo into the party, belying expectations that she would join the Congress after the recent Supreme Court verdict catapulted her to national fame.
A beaming Kushboo draped in a red-green silk saree, in front of virtually the entire Karunanidhi Cabinet, signed her membership form at the party office here in the evening, in what she hopes to be a historic turning point in her public life.
As though the DMK had pulled off a minor coup of sorts, a seemingly pleased Karunanidhi was all smiles as he announced to the media of the actress joining the party, in the presence of party general secretary Prof K Anbazhagan and Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin.
“For a long time I have been observing her penchant for progressive ideas; if in the Tamil film ‘Periyar’ (a bio-pic of the late rationalist leader and Dravida Kazhagam founder) she could convincingly play the role of his wife Maniyammai, it is because of her deep conviction in the Dravida Movement ideals,” Karunanidhi said justifying Kushboo’s admittance into DMK.
Karunanidhi admitted that Kushboo winning the case in the Supreme Court was one of the reasons for her entry into the DMK fold. A trifle embarassed about Kushboo’s earlier statement hinting at joining the Congress, he said, “the Congress is in alliance with DMK after all.”
Asked whether Kushboo would be given a party ticket for the Rajya Sabha binennial elections due in June, Karunanidhi said that neither Prof Anbazhagan, Stalin nor himself came into the party expecting any post or position. “It is others’ recognition of our work that has brought us to these positions today,” he retorted.
“Why not the DMK ?” counter-posed a confident Kushboo when media persisted with her on why she chose this party as the vehicle to enter politics. “All my ideals are exactly the same as of the DMK and that is the reason I thought it best to join this party,” replied Kushboo, reiterating her resolve to work for women’s welfare through the party.
“I never said I am joining only the Congress”; when asked (after the apex court verdict by the media) I said as I have been born and brought up in Mumbai, I have seen a lot of Congress leaders work for the people and only expressed my preference (for that party)”, Kushboo said.
Indicating that she will be on a twin-track of acting and working for DMK from now, Kushboo said she would nevertheless have to be very careful and “measure my words” as she would have to go by the diktats of the DMK leadership.
