Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan announced the names of candidates for 21 Lok Sabha constituencies here in Chennai on Wednesday and informed that the candidates for the remaining Lok Sabha constituencies and 18 Assembly Constituencies will be announced in Coimbatore on March 24.
The list that was announced by Kamal Haasan includes a retired IPS officer, a retired judge, three doctors, five lawyers, four engineering degree holders and seven businesspersons. The two notable names in the list are retired IPS officer A.G. Mourya, who will be contesting from the North Chennai Lok Sabha constituency and Kameela Nasser, who has been associated with the party right from the start, from Chennai Central.
While A.G. Mourya will be contesting against DMK stalwart Arcot Veerasamy’s son, Dr. Kalanidhi and DMDK candidate Mohan Raja in North Chennai, Kameela Nasser will take on DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran, PMK’s Sam Paul and SDPI, fighting the election as part of AMMK alliance.
Speaking later, Mr. Haasan said that the party had chosen candidates based on whether they were economically stable, had past experience in public life and with great ideas to solve many issues.
“We wanted to understand what they want to do in politics. There are doctors, lawyers, Phd holders in our party. Candidates who are struggling to do well in life will spend a lot for politics and try to make money in politics. So, we have selected people who are reasonably self-sufficient – without being too rich,” said Mr. Haasan.
Mr. Haasan appeared to launch an attack on two Dravidian parties – DMK and AIADMK – and their manifestos. “I have been hearing the same things since I was a child. It is time to realise these promises,” he said.
He also criticised Dravidian parties for giving out tickets for sons of party bigwigs.
“Once upon a time, they used to say that this is the land of rising sun. Now, it has changed into the land of rising ‘sons’,” said Mr. Haasan, adding, “The two parties are trying to turn Dravidian ideology their own property. We will not allow it.”
He further said that the interview process to decide on the candidates had taken longer than they thought.
Mr. Haasan also said that the discussions were on over whether he would contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and 18 Assembly constituencies. “I want to contest…but I will decide based on the advice given to me by the executive committee members,” he said. He also dismissed criticism that there is intra-party conflict as alleged by former executive council member and entrepreneur C.K. Kumaravel.
In Puducherry, the MNM has fielded former MLA and its president M.A.S. Subramanian.
