Chennai: The Lok Sabha elections are just a couple of months away and political parties in Tamil Nadu are in the process of wrapping up alliance talks and sealing deals. DMK, which is in the process of finalising seat-sharing talks, is likely to add new ally actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan, who heads Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM).
Having indicated his leanings towards the DMK-led Congress-inclusive alliance in Tamil Nadu several months ago, Kamal Haasan is expected to initiate talks with DMK soon for contesting the Lok Sabha elections after a meeting with party president M K Stalin.
Sources confirmed that a meeting between the two leaders was likely after the brief budget session in the state assembly, starting Monday. Sources said MNM was likely to be given one seat. Kamal Haasan himself is keen to contest on MNM’s torchlight symbol that was allocated to the party by the Election Commission a week ago.
“DMK completed its first round of talks with almost all its major alliance partners. If any new party is going to enter the alliance, the talks would have been initiated now,” DMK sources said.
Kamal Haasan had struck a political rapport with Rahul Gandhi when he joined him on his Bharat Jodo yatra in Delhi in Dec 2022 and then went on to host a one-on-one interview with the Congress leader.
On Sunday, when reporters asked newly appointed Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai if his party was in favour of giving a seat to Kamal Haasan from its quota, he said it was “pure media speculation” and that a decision would be taken by the MNM leader once he returned to India.
Kamal Haasan would return from the USA in the early hours of Monday and after his arrival would hold meetings with his party functionaries to take a call on the alliance issue. The actor is expected to announce his stand on alliance on the seventh foundation day of MNM that falls on Feb 21 when he would address his supporters in his party office. “We are keen on contesting on our party symbol. We will hold talks directly with DMK, but the date is not yet confirmed as the budget session is scheduled to begin on Monday and will go on till Thursday,” a MNM source told TOI.
Having indicated his leanings towards the DMK-led Congress-inclusive alliance in Tamil Nadu several months ago, Kamal Haasan is expected to initiate talks with DMK soon for contesting the Lok Sabha elections after a meeting with party president M K Stalin.
Sources confirmed that a meeting between the two leaders was likely after the brief budget session in the state assembly, starting Monday. Sources said MNM was likely to be given one seat. Kamal Haasan himself is keen to contest on MNM’s torchlight symbol that was allocated to the party by the Election Commission a week ago.
“DMK completed its first round of talks with almost all its major alliance partners. If any new party is going to enter the alliance, the talks would have been initiated now,” DMK sources said.
Kamal Haasan had struck a political rapport with Rahul Gandhi when he joined him on his Bharat Jodo yatra in Delhi in Dec 2022 and then went on to host a one-on-one interview with the Congress leader.
On Sunday, when reporters asked newly appointed Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai if his party was in favour of giving a seat to Kamal Haasan from its quota, he said it was “pure media speculation” and that a decision would be taken by the MNM leader once he returned to India.
Kamal Haasan would return from the USA in the early hours of Monday and after his arrival would hold meetings with his party functionaries to take a call on the alliance issue. The actor is expected to announce his stand on alliance on the seventh foundation day of MNM that falls on Feb 21 when he would address his supporters in his party office. “We are keen on contesting on our party symbol. We will hold talks directly with DMK, but the date is not yet confirmed as the budget session is scheduled to begin on Monday and will go on till Thursday,” a MNM source told TOI.