Kamal Haasan Begins Talks With Party Functionaries Ahead of 2026 Polls

Chennai:

Actor-politician and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president Kamal Haasan has initiated consultations with party officials from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to prepare for the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections.

The meetings, scheduled to continue through Sunday, represent MNM's first electoral planning session since formally aligning with the governing DMK party.

Founded in 2018 as an alternative to Tamil Nadu's two major Dravidian parties, MNM has yet to achieve an electoral victory. During the 2021 Assembly elections, Mr Haasan contested the Coimbatore South constituency but was narrowly defeated by BJP's Vanathi Srinivasan.

Sources within the party informed NDTV that their current strategy involves identifying stronger constituencies based on 2021 election performance and developing plans to enhance MNM's grassroots presence before the polls. "We are identifying regions where the party maintains a significant support base and working to strengthen our position," a party official stated.

Prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Mr Haasan established an alliance with the DMK, describing it as "the need of the hour" to oppose the BJP.

Subsequently, the DMK supported Mr Haasan's election to the Rajya Sabha, and these ongoing consultations are considered essential for MNM to establish a meaningful position within the alliance as it approaches its first Assembly election as a partner in the ruling coalition.