Chennai:
In one of the most fiercely fought contests, Tamil actor Vishal Reddy and his team swept the South Indian Artistes' Association elections on Sunday, ending veteran actor R Sarath Kumar's domination over Tamil film industry's top body.
While Mr Reddy, 38, was elected the new General Secretary, senior actor M Nasser will take over as the President, replacing Sarath Kumar, 61, who held the post for nine years.
In the run-up to the polls, both parties had sparred bitterly over the association's decision to lease one of its properties worth Rs 150 crore, in the heart of Chennai, to a private group to build a multiplex.
The association, then headed by Sarath Kumar, claimed that the deal would bring in a monthly revenue of Rs 23 lakh. Lies, alleged Vishal Reddy's camp which claimed corruption and promised to cancel the agreement and retrieve the land if elected.
"My first agenda is to cancel the lease agreement actor Sarath Kumar has signed to hand over the artistes' association land to a private group... We want to have our own auditorium," Mr Reddy said after the victory.
The young actor also promised to "work as a team" despite the outcome of the elections which, many worry, could leave the Tamil film industry deeply divided.
Denying all allegations against him, Sarath Kumar said, "Let's forgive and forget. My support is there. But our lease alone did not lead to the defeat. Hope they see sense in it."
3,200 people, including film and theater artists from the Tamil film industry voted in the elections to the South Indian Artistes' Association, also known as Thennindhiya Nadigar Sangam.