"Mahatma Gandhi did not die fighting for Muslims but for the secular India.

For that secular India only I did not contest the election, " he said while addressing his party's office bearers here.

He also added that the election is now for India (Lok Sabha) and in 2026 for Tamil Nadu (Assembly polls).

"I will campaign for all those who feared their seats would be given to us. You will see the respect we will get during the campaign, " he said.

On the criticism of his joining the DMK alliance after campaigning against it in the 2021 state assembly polls, he said that some people are asking about the advertisement of him throwing a remote on TV upset over the repeated promises made by the DMK.

"Now both the TV and remote are there. However, the union government is trying to remove electricity for the TV and battery from the remote. What is the use in keeping them or throwing them? There is no point in it, " he said, taking a swipe at the authoritarian regime of the BJP government.

Meanwhile, Haasan will begin his poll campaign from Erode on March 29 and end his campaign at Pollachi on April 16.