Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) Chief Kamal Haasan will be the Chief Ministerial candidate in the 2021 Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, according to the party’s Vice president R Mahendran. He reportedly made the comment after the party’s General Body and Executive Committee meeting held in Chennai on Friday.
According to a press statement released by MNM after the meeting held in T Nagar, Chennai, several resolutions were passed in the meetings on Friday, including those necessary for the party’s participation in the 2021 Assembly Elections in Tamil Nadu. The party leadership collectively agreed to make Kamal Haasan in charge of the strategy to be followed for the elections, finalising candidates for the Assembly polls and the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha bye-polls and deciding on political alliances. The party also passed resolutions thanking everybody who had worked under the ‘Naame Theervu’ initiative started by MNM to help those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also collectively decided to continue the initiative for public service beyond the pandemic.
Kamal Haasan also appreciated those party functionaries who have already started the work towards the Assembly polls and requested that everybody work united to ensure MNM’s victory. The party leadership also passed resolutions condemning the ruling party in Tamil Nadu for cancelling gram sabha meetings across the state thereby stifling democracy and mocking the Constitution. The party also appreciated Kamal Haasan’s efforts to resume gram sabha meetings in Tamil Nadu by approaching the court and pursuing legal remedies.
MNM made its electoral debut in the 2019-Parliamentary polls and the bye-elections held in Tamil Nadu simultaneously. It garnered a poll percentage of 3.72% in the Lok Sabha elections.
It reportedly fared better in urban areas in Coimbatore and Chennai South but could not emulate the feat in the state’s rural pockets. In Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency, the party polled around 1.44 lakh votes and in Chennai South it polled around 1.35 lakh votes.