Daijiworld Media Network- Chennai (DD)

Chennai, May 28: From captivating audiences on the silver screen to stepping onto the country’s political stage, Kamal Haasan is poised to mark a historic new chapter in his journey — as a member of the Rajya Sabha. The celebrated actor-turned-politician has been nominated to the Upper House under the DMK quota, fulfilling a promise made by Chief Minister M K Stalin during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign.

The nomination is part of a pre-poll understanding between Haasan’s party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu. On Tuesday, the DMK officially released its Rajya Sabha candidate list, re-nominating party veteran P Wilson and naming R Sivalingam and Rokiah Malik alongside Haasan — whose inclusion stole the spotlight.

DMK sources confirmed that the nomination is the culmination of an assurance given by Stalin to Haasan in return for MNM’s support to the DMK-Congress alliance during the recent general elections. The alliance scored a clean sweep, clinching all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, signalling strong public support and political synergy.

The DMK’s intent to honour the promise became clearer last week when Minister PK Sekar Babu personally visited Haasan at his residence to reaffirm the party's commitment. This was followed by the MNM executive committee passing a resolution to officially nominate their founder to the Rajya Sabha.

For Kamal Haasan, this Rajya Sabha berth offers more than just a title — it is a national platform to champion the ideals that have guided MNM since its inception in 2018: governance transparency, economic reforms, and social equity.

Although MNM made waves early with progressive policy ideas — including the Rs 1,000 monthly support scheme for women, which the DMK later implemented — its electoral performance has been underwhelming. Despite securing a 3.72% vote share in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, MNM failed to win a seat. In the 2021 state elections, Haasan came close in Coimbatore South, narrowly losing to BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan. The party also struggled in local body polls, prompting introspection and a pivot toward alliance politics.

The Rajya Sabha nomination signals a revival of MNM’s political ambitions, even if it isn’t the full-scale electoral breakthrough once envisioned. With Haasan now heading to Parliament, he gets the chance to shape discourse and policy from within the system — bringing his trademark candour and reformist zeal to the national stage.

The Rajya Sabha elections are slated for June 19, with six seats from Tamil Nadu up for grabs. Given the DMK’s majority in the state assembly, the nominations are expected to go through without resistance.

As Kamal Haasan prepares to step into the hallowed halls of Parliament, fans and followers alike will be watching closely — not for cinematic drama, but for real-world impact from a star who now seeks to script change in the corridors of power.