Makkal Needhi Maiam has released the first list of candidates who will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on its ticket, in 21 constituencies, including Puducherry. The nominees include lawyers, doctors, teachers, activists and an ex-IPS officer.
In a press meet organised today, the party founder, actor-politician Kamal Haasan said that names of the remaining 19 nominees will be announced on March 24 in Coimbatore. He also did not reveal if he will be contesting. “Yes, I wish to contest but the party members need to tell me that. I will take their advice.” It is believed that if he contests, he will stand for South Chennai or Ramanathapuram.
The first list has film producer Kameela Nasser as the candidate for Chennai Central constituency. When asked why she was the only woman member on the list, Kamal said, “This is the first phase. There are some important names in the second list.” He added that the delay was because they followed a democratic selection process and that took time.
Last week, business man CK Kumaravel quit Makkal Needhi Maiam. While the party said that he had wrongly declared himself as a candidate, Kumaravel blamed internal politics for his resignation. He said that party member Mahendran was appointed as the vice president in the last minute, and despite being a late entrant of MNM, actress Kovai Sarala was allowed to be part of the selection committee.
Kamal Haasan responded to this saying, “Everyone has a right to participate, and she could’ve been there simply as a voting citizen who must question things.” He clarified that disciplinary action was taken against Kumaravel, and they would’ve terminated him if he had not quit. He also denied reports about other members quitting MNM.
The Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu are scheduled to happen on April 18. Makkal Needhi Maiam is yet to release its manifesto, and Kamal said they were working on it. “We will mainly focus on the basic necessities like availability of drinking water, education, and medical facilities.”
Kamal called out DMK and AIADMK’s manifestos as old, and asked if they would live up to their promises. To a question on the two parties’ demands asking for convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to be released, Kamal Haasan said they should be released on grounds of compassion.
To another question about which one of the two national parties he would support – the Congress or the BJP – Kamal said he and his party are contesting the elections now to build themselves up to be able to decide that.
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Kamal Haasan will release the second list of candidates and the party’s core principles and demands on March 24 in Coimbatore.
Here’s the first list of candidates:
Tiruvallur: M Logarangan
Chennai North: AG Mourya
Chennai Central: Kameela Nasser
Sriperumbudur: M Sivakumar
Arakkonam: N Rajendran
Vellore: R Suresh
Krishnagiri: S Srikarunya
Dharmapuri: D Rajasekar
Villupuram: Anbin Poyyamozhi
Salem: Prabhu Manikandan
Nilgiris: Rajendran
Dindigul: S Sudhakar
Trichy: V Anand Raja
Chidambaram: T Ravi
Mayiladuthurai: M Rifayudeen
Nagapattinam: K Guruviah
Theni: S Radhakrishnan
Thoothukudi: TPS Pon Kumaran
Tirunelveli: M Vennimalai
Kanyakumari: J Ebenezer
Puducherry: MAS Subramanian