Chennai, Sep 15 (IANS): Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) will field 1,521 candidates in the ensuing rural local body polls to the nine districts of Tamil Nadu. The polls are scheduled to be on October 6 and October 9.

Party Vice president and senior leader, A.G. Mourya in a statement on Tuesday said Kamal Haasan would campaign in the elections. He said that the party will campaign hard in the elections and win seats.

The MNM has a good presence in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Vellore. One district or zonal secretary has been put in-charge of each of the nine districts where elections are to be held.

Mouraya said that the party would field good candidates based on the recommendations from the district and zonal secretaries who are in-charge of each district.

He also said that the senior party leaders like Thangavelu, Sripiyaa and Senthil Arumugam will contest the polls. This will be the first local body elections since Kamal Haasan floated the MNM in 2018.

Mourya said the party was likely to go it alone in the elections and that there were no discussions with other parties.

After the drubbing in the recent Assembly elections, several senior leaders have left the MNM. The party is now trying to win a few seats in the rural local body elections to show its existence.