THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Chennai, May 28: Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan is set to enter the Rajya Sabha after being named as the party’s candidate for the Upper House.
The nomination comes as part of a political understanding with the ruling DMK, which has allocated one of its Rajya Sabha seats to its ally MNM.
MNM leader Murali Appas confirmed the party’s decision, stating that a resolution had been passed to nominate Kamal Haasan for the Rajya Sabha.
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The move fulfills the DMK’s earlier promise to the MNM in return for the latter’s support during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where MNM chose not to contest and instead campaigned for the DMK-led INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu.
The Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled for June 19, and the DMK-led alliance is expected to win four seats with ease, given its strength of 158 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. A minimum of 34 votes is required per candidate to secure a seat.
In addition to Kamal Haasan, the DMK has also announced Salma, Advocate P Wilson, and SR Sivalingam as its other nominees.
Makkal Needhi Maiam, launched by Kamal Haasan in 2018 at a public gathering in Madurai, had secured 2.62% of the vote share in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.