Kamal Haasan to take part in Bharat Jodo Yatra

Chennai: Top star and Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan on Sunday said he would take part in the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on December 24 in Delhi.

According to the party, Haasan, addressing office bearers here, said he has been invited by Rahul Gandhi to participate in the Yatra.

MNM spokesperson Murali Appas told PTI that party workers, led by their leader Haasan, would take part in the Gandhi-led foot march in the national capital. "Our leader made the announcement addressing office-bearers," he said.

The 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' has seen participation of film celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Swara Bhasker, and Amol Palekar.

Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.

Chaired by 68-year-old Haasan, MNM's administrative and executive committee and district secretaries meeting was held here on Sunday.

In a press release, the party said that Haasan in the meeting made known some 'key decisions' in respect of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and advised them on party's strategy and activities.

Asked on Haasan joining the Yatra, political analyst Durai Karuna said that it is part of 'early efforts' aimed at exploring the possibility of an electoral arrangement for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls between the actor's party and the Congress, if the DMK did not provide ample space to its allies.

"The DMK is determined to chase its goal to emerge as a real force to reckon with at the national level by winning 30 plus LS seats. The DMK may not offer more than 4-5 seats to the Congress and the grand old party's leaders in Tamil Nadu also seem to have an inkling about it," Karuna told PTI.

That explains a recent 'brainstorming meet' of Tamil Nadu Congress leaders and an MNM representative to look at 'chances of an electoral arrangement,' which also includes the scope for roping in more secular parties, he said.

"We are at a very early stage and it is difficult to comment on scope for a separate front led by the Congress. However, it is true that the Congress party may not get more than 5 seats from the DMK," he claimed.

Such a scenario, in addition to the MNM's current electoral non-starter status, may work towards bringing them together, he said.

Haasan's MNM founded in 2018 drew a blank in the 2021 Assembly election and the top star lost to BJP's Vanathi Srinivasan in Coimbatore south.

Noted entertainment industry tracker J Bismi said Haasan cannot be expected to take a stand against the ruling DMK, given his association with Udhayanidhi Stalin and the Red Giant Movies.

"Haasan did not expect such a big success for Vikram-2, which grossed over Rs 200 crore. It happened because of Red Giant. He expected a spectacular electoral victory. However it did not happen. He is busy in the film industry. He is working towards producing films of present top stars including Vijay. There are no chances for him to devote himself fully in politics which is needed for real success."

Also, Haasan is starring in (under-production) Indian-2 and has other commitments in film industry including hosting Bigg Boss Tamil, Bismi noted.

"The DMK may assure Haasan some seats for the 2026 Assembly election. However, I do not think he could get seats for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls."

In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress, part of the DMK-led alliance, contested 9 seats in Tamil Nadu and won 8 of them.