The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) on Wednesday formally announced that its party president and actor-politician Kamal Haasan will be its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Tamil Nadu, scheduled to be held on June 19.
The decision was made unanimously during a joint meeting of the partyâs Administrative and Executive Committees, which was attended by senior MNM leaders, including general secretary A. Arunachalam. Notably, Kamal Haasan himself did not participate in the meeting.
The nomination is in line with an electoral understanding reached between the MNM and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. As part of the agreement, the DMK had assured MNM of one Rajya Sabha seat, reinforcing the alliance between the two parties within the larger opposition bloc in Tamil Nadu.
In a resolution passed during Wednesdayâs meeting, MNM reaffirmed its commitment to the alliance framework with the DMK and announced that Kamal Haasan would represent the party in the Rajya Sabha polls. The resolution described Haasanâs nomination as a significant step toward strengthening the partyâs political presence at the national level.
In a separate resolution, MNM also called upon all parties within the DMK-led alliance to extend their âfull and unwavering supportâ to Kamal Haasanâs candidature. The party emphasized the need for coalition unity and expressed confidence that Haasanâs voice in the Rajya Sabha would reflect the aspirations of the people of Tamil Nadu.
Kamal Haasanâs entry into the Rajya Sabha, if elected unopposed as expected in the absence of a contest for the allotted seat, would mark a new phase in his political journey, offering him a formal legislative platform after years of active public engagement and electoral efforts.