3 min readKochiApr 8, 2026 02:06 PM IST
Following in the footsteps of his wife, actor Kushboo, renowned director Sundar C has entered politics and is contesting the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections from the Madurai Central constituency. He is a candidate of the Puthiya Neethi Katchi (New Justice Party), which is part of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led NDA alliance.
As the alliance is led at the centre by the BJP, of which Kushboo is a part, she has also been promoting her husband, hoping he will emerge victorious in his maiden election. However, affecting his poll prospects, Sundar has found himself in the midst of a controversy after rumours began circulating that he claimed he would ban meat shops in the constituency if elected to power. Social media posts and reports allege that he made this promise, claiming that the move would protect the sanctity of the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple.
Sundar, Kushboo react to the controversy
Nonetheless, Sundar himself dismissed the reports shortly afterwards, following which Kushboo also condemned those spreading such rumours about him. “The news circulating that I said I would shut down meat shops in the Madurai Central constituency if I win the election is completely false. The people themselves know that I respect their sentiments and rights. To those who lack the courage to face the competition directly and resort to such low-level tactics by taking crooked paths, we will give a fitting reply through our unity and victory,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
தேர்தலில் நான் வெற்றி பெற்றால் மதுரை மத்திய தொகுதியில் இறைச்சி கடைகளை மூடுவேன் என நான் சொன்னதாக பரவும் செய்தி முற்றிலும் பொய்யானது.
மக்களின் உணர்வுகளையும் உரிமைகளையும் மதிக்கத் தெரிந்தவன் நான் என்பது மக்களுக்கே தெரியும்.
போட்டியை நேரடியாக எதிர்கொள்ள தைரியம் இன்றி குறுக்கு வழியை… pic.twitter.com/fXyESm87Zt— Sundar C (@SundarCOffl) April 6, 2026
Kushboo, meanwhile, used the situation to attack the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), alleging that the ruling party was behind the campaign. “When they fail to counter the honesty of a man with integrity, they resort to such fake narratives. DMK is scared, and it’s so evident. Spreading such a false narrative to gain support will only boomerang. People of Madurai are very clear and stand with Sundar,” she wrote, quote-tweeting one of Sundar’s posts.
Will the controversy affect Sundar in the election?
At a time when the DMK, headed by Chief Minister MK Stalin, is already leading a war against the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP) and pushing back against Hindi imposition — long alleged to be the right-wing’s strategies to erase regional nuances and identities — the controversy Sundar has found himself in is significant.
Who are Kushboo and Sundar?
Having appeared in over 200 films across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi, Kushboo began her political career in 2010 with the DMK. She switched to Congress in 2014 and then joined the BJP in 2020. She was appointed as the party’s state vice president in 2025. A popular filmmaker, Sundar has directed over 35 films thus far.
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