The star of the movies claims that he has become a lamp which would light up all homes in Tamil Nadu. This is how film actor-turned-political leader Kamal Haasan told his followers while launching the political party — Makkal Needhi Mayyam — at Madurai late Wednesday evening.
The guest of honour during the unveiling of Kamal Haasan’s party was Delhi Chief Minister and founder of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal. A mammoth crowd was in attendance to be part of the launching of the political party to be led by Kamal Haassan, who would hereafter be addressed as Nammavar (Tamil for our man).
On Wednesday morning, the actor called on the ancestral home of former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam at Rameswaram and sought the blessings of Mohammed Meeran lebbai Maraikaat, the elder brother of the late President. Haassan also visited the Abdul Kalam Memorial and offered floral tributes at the former President’s resting place.
later he met a group of fishermen and assured them that he would offer them all help in resolving their issues with the Sri lankan Navy. He said he was aware of the difficulties faced by the fishers while fishing in their “traditional water” in the Palk Bay.
A cross section of the crowd which had gathered at Othakadi in Madurai looked happy and optimistic about the future of the party. While folk artists from rural areas performed the State’s traditional art forms, the fans who had gathered at the maidan from all over Tamil Nadu said Kamal Haassan would bring out a “big change” in the political landscape. “Foe the last 50 years we have been seeing the DMK and the AIADMK alternately ruling Tamil Nadu. Kamal Haassan has the potential to break that monopoly and we hope to see him as the Chief Minister,” said Manimaran from Salem, an ardent fan of the actor.
Rajendran, a tea vendor at Madurai said he was attracted by the actor’s attacks on corruption and mis-governance by the ruling parties. “He has already played the role of a politician in movies and knows well the problems faced by the people,” said Rajendran.
But G C Sekhar, veteran political commentator and columnist expressed reservations about the political ambitions of the actor. “What is his constituencyIJ He has alienated his main supporters, the Hindus, by his declaration that he was against Hindutwa. If he is targeting secular and progressive forces, he would find it difficult to get them because all of them, Dravidians, rationalists and secularists, are affiliated to the DMK and the other Dravidian parties. He may be an ideal poster boy for the CPI(M),” said Sekhar.
N Kalyanasundram, Tamil Nadu’s political historian, pointed out that DMK working president M K Stalin has been soft on Kamal Haassan while he was highly critical of the other super star Rajnikanth.”There is every possibility of Kamal Haassan aligning with the DMK as their ideologies seem to be similar,” said Kalyanasundaram.