COIMBATORE: The decision by actor-turned-politician and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan to keep his party, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), out of the upcoming Assembly elections has triggered widespread disappointment among functionaries, with many now questioning the party's internal decisions and financial transparency.
In the run-up to elections, the MNM had invited applications from party members aspiring to contest as candidates. Each applicant was required to pay a fee of Rs 50,000, an amount that several cadres claim is the highest compared to other political parties in the state. Despite initial concerns, more than 60 individuals from across the state, including over eight from Coimbatore, went ahead and submitted their applications and paid the fee, hopeful of getting a ticket to contest representing the party.
However, the party's subsequent announcement that it would not contest the elections has left many of these applicants disillusioned. The situation has been further aggravated as the application fees have not been refunded yet.
A party functionary, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed frustration over the decision. He questioned, "What is the purpose of running a political party if we are not going to contest elections? Many of us had been working tirelessly on the ground over the past few years, believing we would get an opportunity this time. The announcement is a huge setback."
In Coimbatore, expectations were particularly high among MNM cadres, who believed the party had a strong chance of securing the Coimbatore South constituency, especially as they are a part of the DMK-led alliance. The party's earlier performance in the region had fuelled hopes.
Another functionary highlighted the financial concerns surrounding the issue. "If the party had no intention of contesting, why did they invite applications and collect a large sum? We had already raised objections about the high fee, but there was no response. Now, not returning our money is unacceptable," the functionary added.
Cadres across the state are now demanding that the party leadership immediately refund the application fees, arguing that the episode has not only caused financial strain but also eroded trust.
One of the functionaries also revealed that a couple of cadres had submitted multiple applications along with the fee on behalf of R Thangavelu, a local leader as well as the state vice president of MNM, based on his request. However, functionaries have not heard from him or any top brass of the party on the status of the amount paid for applications.
Meanwhile, workers are also worried that the party has yet to take part in any poll campaign. Speaking to TNIE, the party's state vice president, R Thangavelu, acknowledged that a few cadres had submitted applications and paid the fee under his name for a ticket to contest in Coimbatore. "Regarding concerns raised by a few about refunds, the party's high command is having discussions. It's also being decided if a full refund or a partial refund should be given to functionaries. A final decision will be made after detailed discussions within the next 2-3 days."