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Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan said on Saturday he and his party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) would contest all the 39 parliamentary seats in Tamil Nadu in the next year general election, but "would not align with those desperate to change the DNA" of the state.
Speaking to reporters after the party's executive committee meeting, Kamal Haasan said: "The party will contest in the Parliament elections. I will also contest. A committee will be formed to identify the contestants for forty seats (39 in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry)."
Queried about the parties with whom MNM would have an alliance, Haasan said: "The party will not align with those who are desperate to change the DNA of Tamil Nadu." He did not rule out alliance talks with Congress.
Kamal Haasan said the party would decide on contesting in the bye polls for 20 Assembly seats whenever these are announced. Elections to 20 Assembly constituencies are due in the state following the disqualification of 18 MLAs who pledged their support to RK Nagar MLA and AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran, as well as following the deaths of the party’s legislator AK Bose and M Karunanidhi.
Kamal said he would announce the number of members his party has on January 31, adding the party has empowered him to decide on electoral alliances.
When asked whether he would lead the alliance or was open to work under someone's leadership, he said that depended on the stature of the alliance partner.
Just earlier this month, rumours began doing the rounds that Kamal Haasan had entered the electoral fray with the Indian National Congress and the DMK as alliance partners. The actor and politician later tweeted that his party would not take a detour for short term benefits.
In June this year, Kamal Haasan had met with Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Following the meeting, Rahul Gandhi had tweeted stating that “a wide range of issues concerning our two parties, including the political situation in Tamil Nadu” was discussed.