CHENNAI: Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president Kamal Haasan on Tuesday (March 24) announced that his party would not contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and would instead extend unconditional support to the DMK-led alliance.
Recalling the party’s decision to join the DMK-led front during the previous parliamentary elections in the interest of the nation, he said MNM had worked hard for the alliance’s victory, which eventually enabled its voice to be heard in the Rajya Sabha. Since then, the party had upheld alliance principles without compromising its identity.
Haasan said seat-sharing talks for the 2026 Assembly elections were held in two phases, during which Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, the Deputy Chief Minister and members of the DMK negotiating team had conducted discussions with warmth, respect and a sense of camaraderie.
However, he noted that the number of seats offered to MNM and the suggestion that it contest under the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol were not acceptable to him or to party members. While acknowledging the rationale behind the DMK’s position in the prevailing political circumstances, he said the emotional bond between MNM cadres and the party’s ‘battery torch’ symbol could not be overlooked, as it represented the party’s identity built over nine years.
While acknowledging the alliance’s larger electoral considerations, Haasan said prioritising Tamil Nadu’s interests was a duty. He affirmed support for a “Dravidian Model 2.0” government and thanked party cadres, adding that MNM’s political journey would continue beyond electoral politics.