Chennai: Makkal Needhi Maiam President Kamal Haasan has announced that his party will not directly contest the upcoming Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
elections, opting instead to extend unconditional support to the DMK from outside. The decision was announced after a meeting with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kamal Haasan stated that his decision was driven by the desire to see the DMK government return to power. He earlier noted that he was not in agreement with the number of constituencies allotted to his party within the DMK alliance, nor with the suggestion that they contest under the “Rising Sun” symbol. However, he emphasized, “In a critical juncture like this, asking ‘Where is our share?’ would not be the mark of a good brother. This is not a sacrifice; it is a duty.”
Stalin lauds Kamal’s gesture
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has highly praised Kamal Haasan for extending unconditional support to the DMK alliance. While acknowledging Kamal’s assertion that this is a duty rather than a sacrifice, Stalin lauded it as, in reality, a monumental sacrifice. He also made an affectionate request for Kamal to tour across Tamil Nadu to campaign for the elections.
#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: The MNM has decided not to contest this election and support the DMK alliance.
After meeting CM Stalin, MNM chief and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan says, “We will support them very strongly from outside. We will win… They (party cadre) know my… pic.twitter.com/8hsFs2WDJu
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2026
Thirumavalavan applauds decision
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi President Thirumavalavan expressed his appreciation for Kamal’s decision in a social media post. He praised Kamal, stating that the profound sentiment displayed by the MNM founder is a manifestation of deeply insightful and visionary political understanding. Thirumavalavan noted that Kamal articulated his predicament with utmost civility, ensuring that not even the slightest rift mars his relationships, underscoring his intellectual maturity and supreme composure.
“This courageous decision, undertaken with the sole objective of ensuring the victory of the DMK-led ‘Secular Progressive Alliance,’ is an act destined to be etched forever in political history,” Thirumavalavan wrote. He added that rather than acting impulsively for political gain, Kamal Haasan has adopted a stance of exemplary political dignity that will be revered through the ages. “The immense goodwill and high esteem in which he is held by the public will now multiply manifold,” he concluded.
