Tamil actor Vishal to contest RK Nagar bypoll

CHENNAI: In a surprise decision, film actor Vishal has decided to contest the R K Nagar bypoll to be held on December 21. The actor’s manager said Vishal would file his nomination papers for the election at 2pm on Monday. The 'Puratchi Thalapathy' (revolutionary commander) joins the long list of actors from Tamil Nadu who have taken the political plunge.

Vishal, who contested the South Indian Artistes' Association (Nadigar

Sangam

) election in October 2015, beat actor and former MLA Radha Ravi to become the general secretary. In April this year, Vishal was elected as president of Tamil Film Producers' Council.

The late S S Rajendran, who joined DMK, was the first actor in the country to become an MLA. Rajendran was elected as MLA from Theni constituency in 1962. The Tamil film industry went on to produce three chief ministers – M G Ramachandran, M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa.