Kamal Haasan's MNM to contest 'alone' in upcoming Tamil Nadu local body elections

Amid buzz around alliances being formed for the upcoming elections, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), led by the actor turned politician Kamal Haasan on Thursday has informed that it will contest the Tamil Nadu local body polls independently. Leader Kamal Haasan announced that the party will stand alone in the local body elections. The polls for the nine newly created districts in the state is set to be held in two phases on October 6 and 9.

MNM supremo Kamal Haasan took to his Twitter account to inform the decision to contest the polls independently. Announcing the decision, Haasan also informed that he will be campaigning for the polls in all nine districts. "Makkal Needhi Maiyam will contest alone in local body elections. I am going to campaign in all nine districts. Let's meet in the ground. Victory is ours," tweeted Haasan.

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The MNM had formed an alliance with All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) and Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) in the recently held assembly polls. However, the alliance failed to make the mark. Following this, rumours of MNM joining another alliance was being discussed. However, the party has now decided to work without an ally. Earlier on Wednesday, AIADMK's assembly polls ally PMK also announced their decision to contest independently in the upcoming Tamil Nadu local body polls. 

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Kamal Hasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam

The star actor had launched his party in a public meeting in Madurai in February 2018, saying that MNM will fill the vacuum in Tamil politics. He also launched his party flag which shows six interlocked hands that symbolized co-operation between the Southern states of India. In the Lok Sabha elections, the party contested 36 seats but did not win any and also failed to open its account in the Tamil Nadu by-polls. While Kamal Haasan had been open to allying with Rajinikanth, it was dropped after Rajinikanth delayed his political entry. MNM had aggressively campaigned with the Superstar taking the poll plunge in the assembly polls from Coimbatore South.

Opposition alliance for 2024? 

Earlier in August, a buzz around the coming together of the Opposition parties saw MNM hint at a possible alliance. The party had asserted that it could join the parties to challenge the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Speaking to the media, party supremo Kamal Haasan had said, “Going by the situation and invitation, the party may consider joining it". 

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