CHENNAI: MNM president Kamal Haasan on Wednesday announced his party’s unconditional support to Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan in the by-election to Erode East Assembly constituency.
The announcement was welcomed by Chief Minister MK Stalin, EVKS Elangovan and TNCC president KS Alagiri.
Kamal said that MNM would do all that it can for Elangovan’s victory and that he would campaign for him. MNM functionary Arunachalam has been appointed election in-charge of Erode East constituency.
Kamal said that there was an effort to homogenise the country’s culture and that communal forces intruded into people’s food habits, language and other aspects of culture and tried to impinge on states’ rights.
As such, “each Tamilian has the duty to protect Tamil Nadu from these autocratic forces,” Kamal added.
Asked whether this stance of MNM would last for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Kamal said MNM’s current stand did not have any link to the Lok Sabha elections. “The stand on LS polls will be taken after a year.”
Asked whether he is compromising on his party’s stance for this by-election, Kamal denied it and said: “At this moment of national importance, we will have to iron out differences and even party ideologies ... I truly believe that India’s plurality makes it unique. This is a battle for a larger cause, and I am willing to make some sacrifices.”
When a reporter asked whether he took the decision to support Congress keeping an eye on the MP post, Kamal said: “Why not? You did not object when I was aspiring to be the CM of TN, why should you ridicule this?”
Meanwhile, former minister D Jayakumar, supporter of Edappadi K Palaniswami, said that by his decision, Kamal proved that he had been functioning as the “B team” of the DMK.