Actor-politician S Ve Shekher joins Congress

Chennai, Feb 6 (PTI) Actor-politician and Mylapore MLAS Ve Shekher, who had remained an "unattached member" sincehis expulsion from AIADMK in 2009, joined the Congress todayin the presence of senior party leaders.

Shekher joined the Congress at the party headquartershere in the presence of TNCC President K V Thangkabalu andUnion Shipping favour G K Vasan.

There were speculations he would join DMK followinghis proximity with party President M Karunanidhi and his son MK Stalin. Shekher, however, chose to join the national partyand said he had kept DMK leaders informed of his decision.

"I had informed the DMK president of my decision andsought his blessings and wishes," he later told reporters.

Stalin, with whom he said he had good friendlyrelations, was also aware of Shekher''s decision.

Shekher, a multi-faceted comedian who has acted inmany films, had won from Brahmin-dominated Mylaporeconstituency in Chennai in 2006 Assembly elections as AIADMK''scandidate. He had trounced DMK''s D Napolean, now UnionMinister of state for Social justice and empowerment.

Though initially considered close to party chiefJayalalithaa, he had later fallen out of favour with herfollowing differences. He was expelled in 2009 and has sinceremained an "unattached member" in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.