DMK likely to nominate Kamal Haasan to Rajya Sabha

Kamal Haasan, who founded the political party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), aligned himself with the INDIA bloc during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and campaigned extensively for the DMK-led front in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Tamil superstar-turned-politician Kamal Haasan is likely to be nominated for a Rajya Sabha seat by the DMK. Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments P.K. Sekar Babu, met the actor at his residence on Wednesday, fueling speculation about the move.

Kamal Haasan, who founded the political party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), aligned himself with the INDIA bloc during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and campaigned extensively for the DMK-led front in Tamil Nadu.

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The alliance secured a clean sweep, winning all 39 Lok Sabha seats in the state. According to DMK sources, Chief Minister and party chief M.K. Stalin had promised Haasan a Rajya Sabha seat in return for his support during the general elections.

With six Rajya Sabha seats set to become vacant in June 2025, Sekar Babu reportedly met Haasan to convey CM Stalin’s assurance that he would be nominated. MNM spokesperson and renowned Tamil filmmaker Murali Appas confirmed that the party is set to receive a Rajya Sabha seat but added that Kamal Haasan would decide on the candidate.

He stated that Haasan would consult with party office-bearers before making a final decision. While he acknowledged the meeting between Sekar Babu and Haasan, he did not disclose further details. Founded by Kamal Haasan in Madurai on February 21, 2018, MNM was envisioned as a platform advocating transparency, governance reforms, and regional cooperation.

Its party flag, featuring six interlocked hands, symbolizes unity among the southern states of India (five states and one union territory). In the 2019 general elections, MNM secured a 3.72 per cent vote share in the constituencies it contested.

It performed well in urban centres such as Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai, securing over one lakh votes in some areas. However, its performance in rural constituencies was poor, with all its candidates losing their deposits.

The party contested the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections independently but failed to secure any seats. Kamal Haasan himself lost the Coimbatore South constituency to BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan by a margin of 1,728 votes.

A significant setback came in the 2022 urban local body elections, where MNM contested 140 seats but failed to win even one. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Haasan extended his support to the INDIA bloc and campaigned for the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu.

As part of the political understanding, the DMK agreed to grant one Rajya Sabha seat to MNM in 2025. With the recent meeting between Kamal Haasan and P.K. Sekar Babu, it appears likely that the superstar-turned-politician will soon enter Parliament’s Upper House.