Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan has announced that he will not be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections or Assembly polls. However, lyricist Snehan and party vice president Dr Mahendran are part of nominees who will contest elections on April 18.
At the mega event in Coimbatore, the actor-politician released his party manifesto which promises 100 percent profit for farmers, 50 lakh jobs through setting up 500 skill development centres, wiping out poverty from 50 lakh BPL families, providing tap water in every household, ensuring women labourers get equal wages, reforming existing anti-corruption Lok Ayuktha Act, and building cyclone resistant houses for fisher folk.
மக்கள் நீதி மய்யம் 2019 பாராளுமன்றத் தேர்தல் பிரகடனம்.
Makkal Needhi Maiam Parliamentary Election 2019 Manifesto. #மாற்றத்தின்துவக்கவிழா#MakkalNeedhiMaiam pic.twitter.com/biaIs3SQhn
— Makkal Needhi Maiam | மக்கள் நீதி மய்யம் (@maiamofficial) March 24, 2019
The second list of candidates for Lok Sabha elections include former Big Boss contestant and lyricist Snehan, who will take on take on Congress’ Karti Chidambaram and BJP nominee H Raja in Sivaganga. Party vice-president Dr R Mahendran will contest from Coimbatore.
Kamal said at the rally, “Many party cadres wanted me to contest this election, but I decided not to contest. All candidates are my faces. I will lead from the front.” The actor-politician was expected to contest from his native Ramanathapuram, or South Chennai.
He assured the public that all candidates will deliver promises they had made, adding that they will be removed if proved otherwise, “Every complaint raised against them will be inquired into by a committee.”
Kamal attacked all major political parties including BJP, AIADMK, and DMK. He said prime minister Modi was the chowkidaar of the rich. “PM Modi is the rich man’s security guard. He doesn’t meet journalists and his biggest achievement is bringing Tamil youth to Twitter for the #GoBackModi campaign.”
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While releasing the first list, he had called out DMK and AIADMK’s manifestos as old, and to a question about which one of the two national parties he would support – the Congress or the BJP – Kamal said he and his party are contesting the elections now to build themselves up to be able to decide that.
During the press meet, he responded to a question about the women members on the list, saying that more names would be revealed in the second list. U Priyadarshini contesting from Perambur, and film producer Kameela Nasser for Chennai Central are the only women candidates.
The party has also made a change in the list, and instead of M Sivakumar, M Sridhar will now contest from the Sriperumbathur seat.