 In July 2001, the party made him a Rajya Sabha member, but he resigned before the 2006 Assembly elections to join the AIADMK along with his wife Raadhika.In October 2006, his wife Radhika was dismissed from AIADMK for anti-party activities.He also quit AIADMK in November 2006, quoting that his role as president of the South Indian Artistes' Association needed "undivided attention".