Nadigar Sangam elections scheduled to be held on October 18,2015

This election has divided the influential association into two main groups after the incumbent office-bearers got into a contract with SPI Cinemas to privatise Nadigar Sangam’s 18-ground property. Actor Sarath Kumar is leading one group, while the other is led by actors Vishal, Nasser, Karthi and others

Kamal Haasan supports the nomination of actor Nasser, who is contesting against actor Sarath Kumar.

The forthcoming Nadigar Sangam election is the hottest topic in the Tamil cinema industry today. The election on October 18,2015 will determine who holds the coveted positions in the South Indian Film Artistes’ Association (SIFAA), popularly known as Nadigar Sangam.

 Former High Court judge, Justice E. Padmanabhan, will preside over the election, as per the Madras High Court orders. 

The elections are held once in three years, and during the last election in 2012, Sarathkumar was re-elected, unopposed for the third time 

Why should a judge oversee the elections?

• In November 2010 trouble began Nadigar Sangam decided to demolish the existing building and construct a commercial complex. The association signed an agreement with a private company to lease out the land for 30 years.
• The idea was to construct a multi-storey building to house a multiplex and an exclusive space for the association.
• The old building was later demolished. In 2012, many members raised a voice of dissent against the move and filed a case against Sarathkumar and Radha Ravi.
• Actor Vishal and a few others began raising questions about the way Nadigar Sangam functioned.
• Vishal and his group insisted that the agreement with the private party be cancelled and asked for the Sangam to construct its own building.

Team Sarathkumar	Team Nasser (Pandavar Ani)
Supported by secretary Radha Ravi, Silambarasan and some others	Supported by Vishal, Ponvannan, Karunas, Kushboo, Karthi and Kamal Haasan
For leasing out the Nadigar Sangam building to a private company	Against the move of allowing a private body to take over the Nadigar Sangam building
Announced election on July 15, 2015	Vishal contested this in court and election, to be overseen by a judge, will be held on October 18
Alleged ‘wrong practices’ by other team to ‘win election’	"They decided to delay the polls, which should have been completed by May 31, this year, in accordance with the association’s by-law"

The Nadigar Sangam was formed in 1952 by MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, M.R.Radha and a few others. MGR and company contributed funds and purchased 99 cents of land in Habibullah Road, T. Nagar, Chennai. When MGR became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1977, the Nadigar Sangam constructed a new building, comprising a preview theatre, a gym and an office space