Chennai, Sept 17 (IANS)

Superstar turned politician Kamal Haasan will campaign extensively for his party Makkal Needhi Maiam(MNM) candidates in the ensuing rural local body elections  to be held in nine districts of the state.

The MNM chief has already announced that his party would contest alone in the elections. The polls in the nine districts are scheduled for October 6 and October 9.

Kamal Haasan in a statement on Friday said that he would be campaigning extensively for the victory of his party’s candidates and that the MNM would be contesting alone in the polls.

He said that this was the first time the party was contesting in the local body polls after it was formed in 2018. The actor-turned-politician called upon the party cadres to contact the party district committee offices for being considered as party candidates in the elections.

Kamal Haasan said that for quick access, online application forms have also been created for the party cadres to register themselves in the party to be considered as candidates.

It may be noted that in the 2021 assembly elections, MNM contested in 154 seats in the assembly elections and 80 seats were allocated to its alliance partners, AISMK and IJK. The MNM got a vote percentage of 2.52%.

Interestingly Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) an alliance partner of the AIADMK has announced that the party would contest the rural local body polls alone creating a flutter in the political circles of Tamil Nadu. The  DMK has been wooing the PMK with the announcement of a memorial to be constructed at Villupuram, the stronghold of the community, at a cost of Rs 4 crore as a tribute to the 21 Vanniyar community people who were killed in police firing on September 17, 1987. AIADMK leader M.G. Ramachandran was the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Desiya Murpoku Dravida Kazhagam(DMDK) of actor turned politician Vijayakanth has also announced that they would contest the rural local body polls alone. The party in the 2021 assembly elections had an alliance with Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) but has served the relationship hence.