Haasan, accompanied by Chief Minister MK Stalin, Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, and MNM leaders, signed and submitted his nomination at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat. His candidacy comes as part of the DMK’s seat-sharing arrangement, which allocated one Rajya Sabha seat to MNM in return for its support during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Political landscape & expected outcome
In the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, a candidate requires at least 34 votes to secure a Rajya Sabha seat. The DMK-led INDIA bloc, with 158 MLAs (DMK: 133, Congress: 17, VCK: 4, CPI: 2, CPM: 2), is expected to comfortably win four seats.
The ruling DMK has announced its candidates for the June 19 Rajya Sabha elections, selecting poet Salma, incumbent MP and advocate P. Wilson, and S.R. Sivalingam to represent the party in the Upper House.
MNM’s political journey
Kamal Haasan launched Makkal Needhi Maiam in Madurai in 2018. While MNM did not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it actively campaigned for the DMK-led INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu. In return, the DMK promised MNM a Rajya Sabha seat. MNM had previously secured 2.62% of the votes in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Thug Life & recent controversy
Haasan’s latest film, Thug Life, co-starring Silambarasan, was released on May 5 under the direction of Mani Ratnam. The film saw a moderate box office opening, earning ₹17 crore on its first day.
However, the film’s release was overshadowed by controversy surrounding Haasan’s remarks on Kannada, where he stated that “Kannada was born out of Tamil” during an event in Chennai. His statement sparked debate and backlash, particularly in Karnataka.
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