Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has decided not to contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
Haasan's decision came after the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) that leads the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in the State declined to allocate the seats demanded by MNM. The DMK had also asked the MNM candidates to contest under DMK's 'rising sun' symbol.
MNM cadres had earlier asked their leadership that the party should contest only on their torchlight symbol. The views of the party functionaries were sought at an emergency meeting of the party chaired by the actor in Chennai recently. The meeting also authorised Kamal Haasan to take a final call on the number of seats to be contested.
The DMK had offered the MNM only two seats, an earlier report said.
"In the current challenging political situation, the number of constituencies that has been proposed to be allotted to us, as well as the suggestion that we should contest under the Rising Sun symbol, are not acceptable to the members of Makkal Needhi Maiam or to me," the actor said while announcing the party's decision not to contest the polls.
“I fully understand that there is justification on their side for this. In a situation where communal forces are scheming in every possible way to capture Tamil Nadu, the overall chances of victory for the alliance become the primary concern. That is fair as well.”
“But for the volunteers of MNM, the bond with the Torchlight symbol is emotional. Because the Torchlight is not just a symbol for us—it is our identity. I cannot ignore, and will not ignore, the feelings of my volunteers who have stood by me for the past nine years without expecting any personal gain," he added.