Lok Sabha elections 2019: Kamal Haasan to not contest polls, says all candidates are his faces

lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Mar 25, 2019 10:22 IST

Kamal Haasan, the president of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), will not contest the Lok Sabha election 2019, saying all the candidates of his party are his faces.

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan made the comments on Sunday night while introducing the MNM’s candidates and releasing the party’s election manifesto in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore city. He released the second and final list of candidates for the Lok Sabha election and bypolls to the 18 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

“All the MNM candidates are my faces. I am proud of being the chariot puller than being the chariot,” Kamal Haasan said at the public meeting.

The MNM founder had said earlier in the week that he wishes to contest the Lok Sabha election 2019 but that he would take a call after his party’s executive committee members decide on the issue.

“Yes, but let them tell me. Let them give me permission to do that. Nobody will stop me. But they will have to advise me on the best course of action,” the 64-year-old, who launched his party in February last year, had said last Wednesday.

The MNM has fielded its senior leaders Mahendran in Coimbatore, Rangarajan in South Chennai and Snehan in Sivaganga constituencies.

Kamal Haasan took a jab at Prime Minister’s claim that he is a ‘chowkidar’ or a watchman for the country, saying Narendra Modi does not think of the poor.

“The PM has been claiming he is a chowkidar. However, he is the guard for a rich man. He is stopping poor from entering,” Kamal Haasan said.

He also picked on the DMK’s president MK Stalin, saying that he often calls him just an actor. “But I don’t know to act in real life as they do. I have been paying my income tax properly without any dues. Unlike them, I have not faced raids, “ the MNM chief added.

Kamal Haasan said in his party’s manifesto that the state governors will be elected through MLAs and MPs. The MNM chief assured that a special law will be enacted to prevent tribals and fishermen from being thrown out of their areas. He also said that a strong lokayukta bill will be implemented to punish corrupt politicians.

The MNM had announced its first list of candidates last Wednesday and a retired IPS officer and former district judge were among the candidates for the 20 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in the Union territory of Puducherry.

The first list included south Indian actor M Nassar’s wife Kameela Nassar (Chennai Central), retired IPS officer AG Mourya (Chennai North) and retired district judge K Guruviah (Nagapattinam).

The MNM had announced the electoral tie-up with Republican Party of India last Tuesday and allotted one Lok Sabha seat and three seats in the assembly by-elections to be held on April 18.

The ruling AIADMK and main opposition DMK have announced candidates for the 20 seats each they are contesting in Tamil Nadu.