Kamal Haasan writes to MK Stalin, seeks standardised medical services for COVID patients

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan on Wednesday wrote a letter to DMK President MK Stalin who is set to be the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The actor-politician requested him for standardised medical services across hospitals and districts so that people could afford COVID-19 treatment in the state.

In his letter to Stalin, Haasan wrote, “The new government should immediately intervene in this matter and regulate the fees for Coronavirus treatment. The government should fix the maximum price. All medical procedures and services should be standardized during the pandemic and the same fee should be fixed in all private hospitals across Tamil Nadu.”

Earlier on Tuesday the MNM chief met MK Stalin at his residence and congratulated him on DMK’s victory in the assembly elections. MNM failed to win any seats with Kamal Haasan himself losing from Coimbatore South assembly constituency to BJP's Vanathi Srinivasan. Haasan also congratulated Udhayanidhi Stalin, who won from Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni constituency in Chennai.

Outgoing Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami also wished Stalin good luck for his debut term as the CM of Tamil Nadu. The DMK president reciprocated by seeking advice and cooperation from Palaniswami on taking the state to greater heights.

MK Stalin to stake claim to form Govt

Stalin will meet Tamil Nadu Governor Banwari Lal Purohit at 10 am on Wednesday to stake a claim to form the government. CM-elect MK Stalin was unanimously chosen as the party's legislature leader in a meeting of the newly-elected DMK MLAs on Tuesday. Elected from the Kolathur constituency, MK Stalin is likely to be sworn in on May 7 as Tamil Nadu's CM in a simple ceremony, as per sources. 

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) denied AIADMK the opportunity to return to power for the third consecutive term and comfortably swept the recently concluded Assembly polls, ensuring its return to power after ten years. While DMK won 133 seats in the 234-seat Assembly, its allies Congress, VCK, CPI, CPIM emerged victorious in 18, 3, and two seats respectively.

AIADMK, the 'big brother' of the NDA alliance, managed to win just 66 seats while its allies BJP and PMK won four and five seats respectively. In the past, the DMK had been the ruling party five times, during 2006-11, 1996-2001, 1989-91, 1971-76, and 1967-71.