Chennai: Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) introduced on March 24 that it will sit out the upcoming Tamil Nadu Meeting elections and prolong unconditional assist to the DMK-led alliance, bringing the social gathering’s political trajectory full circle from electoral ambition to strategic withdrawal.
The transfer, which started within the wake of stalled seat-sharing talks with the DMK and in addition comes after Haasan gained an unopposed Rajya Sabha seat with DMK assist in June 2025, highlights each shifting priorities and the MNM’s declining organizational power after years of inconsistent electoral participation.
Haasan launched MNM in February 2018, promising to function an anti-corruption, welfare-based, and ideologically impartial platform. In 2019, the social gathering contested all 39 seats within the Nationwide Meeting by itself, securing a vote share of three.72 %, however did not win a single seat. Within the 2021 parliamentary polls, the MNM contested 142 seats in alliance with smaller events, however obtained solely 2.62 per cent of the votes. Haasan himself misplaced the Coimbatore South seat by a slim margin.
Haasan, who had earlier harshly criticized each the DMK and AIADMK as “looters” whereas claiming he was not against Dravidian ideology, has joined the DMK-led alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and campaigned for its candidates. Rajya Sabha seats have been a part of the pre-poll understanding.
Haasan, who took oath as Rajya Sabha MP on July 25, 2025, secured MNM’s first nationwide voice. Nevertheless, since 2021, the social gathering has been in decline, with rising opposition inside the social gathering and post-opinion ballot evaluation pointing to mismanagement amongst its executives. MNM’s political actions are restricted to public statements and reactions relating to sociopolitical points associated to X, and there’s little organized political exercise.
“In the previous couple of years, the social gathering has not contested any elections, so the cadres haven’t been very lively when it comes to taking part in political actions on the bottom.After our leaders took over as Rajya Sabha MPs, the main focus steadily shifted to the 2026 Meeting elections. The chief committee assembly targeted on figuring out the polling technique, the position of social gathering members, and the social gathering’s place relating to seat allocation.We can’t say that the management has weakened.We’re simply supportive allies,” he mentioned. MNM capabilities.
Political analyst Sumanth Raman informed ThePrint, “MNM had a very good vote share in 2019, nevertheless it saved declining in each election. They misplaced relevance as they didn’t contest in a couple of election. The vote share was fairly excessive earlier, nevertheless it has misplaced over time.”
The restricted success within the elections and the shift in the direction of alliance and assist to the DMK in 2024 led to many defections from the social gathering. Many MNM staff, together with a few of its government committee members, moved to the BJP or DMK as a result of inner rifts. A celebration official mentioned, “The social gathering members had their very own political ambitions when MNM was shaped, and determined that their ambitions wouldn’t come true and moved to different events.It was a private selection, so I do not blame them.”
“We agree that there’s a lack of momentum inside the social gathering. The leaders notice that aside from electoral planning, they want organizational expertise. Many senior leaders who have been initially a part of the social gathering have switched to different events for comparable causes,” mentioned an MNM official.
After assembly CM MK Stalin forward of the 2026 meeting elections, Haasan rejected the DMK’s provide to offer it two seats beneath the ‘Japanese flag’ image and demanded at the least 12 seats to respect the feelings of the cadre. The MNM’s restricted relevance gave the DMK a bonus in negotiations, whereas the social gathering lacked readability.
“Even the choice on who could be the candidate was left to the chief committee. There was no clear resolution and we have been later informed that solely two seats have been allotted beneath ‘Rising Solar’. The vast majority of us have been towards contesting beneath a distinct image as a result of it goes towards the ideological ties with our image,” a member of the chief committee informed ThePrint.
Kamal Haasan then determined to withdraw from the elections, as he had executed up to now few elections. Nevertheless, he mentioned contesting with no image is a divisive level and the social gathering will proceed to assist the DMK.
“Within the present tough political local weather, the variety of seats supplied to us and the proposal to contest beneath the ‘Japanese flag’ image is unacceptable to me and the members of Makkal Needhi Maiam,” Haasan mentioned.
Reacting to the choice, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi founder Thirumabalawan requested DMK chief MK Stalin to encourage the MNM to vote beneath its personal image as it could possibly shield its ideology and on the identical time profit from the MNM’s vote share.
Many MNM members appreciated Thirumavalavan’s proposal. “By highlighting the ability of ideology past the vote financial institution, elevating your voice offers immense energy to folks like us,” MNM’s Gopinath Turailyur informed X.
Kamal’s opt-out additionally drew criticism. AIADMK chief Sathyan mentioned in a press assertion, “Mr. Kamal Haasan’s resolution to not contest meeting elections is just not a sacrifice. It’s his incompetence. That is the issue with actors on the silver display screen. They imagine that no matter they are saying in entrance of the digital camera in public is what they need to say in public. In public, they will need to have political acumen, management qualities and the standard to do good for the folks.”
Political analysts say Kamal Haasan’s city, educated assist base has not translated into widespread electoral energy as a result of, in contrast to MGR, he doesn’t have deep roots within the Dravidian motion and was unable to develop the social gathering’s attain or contest all seats strategically. The transfer to the nationwide stage in Congress additional limits Haasan’s presence in nationwide politics.
“In 2019, MNM acquired elite votes nevertheless it was restricted to areas like Coimbatore.The votes he acquired have been additionally from higher castes and center class individuals who harbor some type of anti-Dravidian sentiment.2021 They haven’t contested any elections since 2017, indicating that there isn’t a coverage, group or agitation during which the MNM is actively taking part. There’s additionally no involvement of grassroots cadres,” mentioned political analyst Arun Kumar.
Nevertheless, regardless of restricted exercise, the social gathering goals to revive its presence and develop additional past the DMK’s resonance within the state. “We perceive that all of us must take private accountability, and our leaders are asking every of us to take accountability for working for the social gathering. We’ve got been very clear about our ideology and haven’t been silent on main public points. We’re taking a look at what we are able to do to make sure the momentum of the social gathering,” Sneha Mohandoss, state secretary of the Minnesota Girls’s Division, informed ThePrint.
(Edited by Vinny Mishra)
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