Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) announced its first list of 70 candidates who will contest in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections under the party’s battery torch symbol. Nine among the 70 are women, making up around 12% of the party’s electoral candidates.
Notable among the women are Padmapriya, a YouTuber who gained popularity last year for her video on the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Bill that was to be passed by the Indian government. MNM will be fielding Padmapriya from the Maduravoyal constituency. Padmapriya’s explanatory video in Tamil became viral on the internet with one section of users hailing her social responsibility, and another trolling her for taking the initiative. In addition to being abused, Padmapriya also shared that she received threats for the video. Padmapriya is MNM’s state secretary for their Environmental wing. Following the news of her nomination, Padmapriya tweeted, “I promise to bring in the "Real Change" Youth must step into POLITICS to bring in Social Change & I have already started because விதைத்தது @
உங்க வீட்டு M.L.A ஆகா நான் Ready; மாற்றத்தை ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள #maduravoyal தயாரா? #YouthForSocialChange I promise to bring in the "Real Change" Youth must step into POLITICS to bring in Social Change & I have already started because விதைத்தது @ikamalhaasan #TNElections2021 #MNM pic.twitter.com/ppV3hmypZy
— Padma Priya (@Tamizhachi_Offl) March 11, 2021
Another notable entry is Sneha Mohandoss, who founded Food Bank India. Sneha will contest from Saidapet constituency and is the State secretary of MNM’s women’s wing called Maiam Maadhar Padai. Sneha gained popularity as one among the seven women selected to handle Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Twitter account for a day during Women’s Day in 2020. “I will make sure to give my heart & soul to bring the change we want to see,” Sneha tweeted.
My heartfelt thanks to my Leader
— Sneha Mohandoss (@snehamohandoss) March 10, 2021
Dr.@ikamalhaasan sir for choosing me as MLA candidate for Saidapet Constituency. I will make sure to give my heart & soul to bring the change we want to see#சீரமைப்போம்_தமிழகத்தை pic.twitter.com/bTxbFkA9JS
Other women part of MNM’s first list include Lavanya, K Shakila, Anusiya, Lakshmi, Anusha Ravi, Uma Devi and Latish Mary who will be contesting from Thiruporur, Penagaram, Mettur, Mettupalayam, Tiruppur South, Arupukottai and Kulachal constituencies respectively.
MNM leader Kamal Haasan is yet to announce the constituency from which he will contest. MNM along with Sarath Kumar's All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi and TR Pachamuthu’s Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) announced that they would contest in a total of 154 seats.