Suspense over Kamal’s entry in polls continues

Keeping the suspense tight on whether he would enter the fray or not during the April 18 Lok Sabha polls in the State, MakkalNeedhiMaiam founder-president and actor Kamal Haasan on Wednesday said that all speculations of him contesting the polls would be put to rest on March 24 at the party’s Pollachi rally. The statement came as he released the party’s first list of poll candidates.

“There are some important names on the second list [to be released on March 24],” Kamal told media, as he released the first list of candidates for 21 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

When asked if he was planning to contest the upcoming polls, Kamal said, “Yes. Let them [the party] give me permission…They had advised me on the best course of action.”

Kamal, who has been making contradictory statements regarding his entry into the LS electoral battle, said the answer would be known at the March 24 rally.

Speculation of the actor-politician contesting from either Ramanathapuram or south Chennai Lok Sabhaconstituency gains credence as no candidates were announced for both the seats. It may be known that the leader’shometown ofParamakudi falls under the Ramanathapuram constituency.

Among the 21 candidateson the first list, there are eight businessmen, threedoctors and three advocates. Some of the prominent candidates include film producer Kameela Nasser and retired IPS officer AG Mourya. Kameela would be contesting from central Chennai while Mourya would enter the fray from north Chennai. Kamal also hinted that the second list would have more women candidates as there are only two figuring in the first list.

To a query on the manifestos of the AIADMK and the DMK that were released yesterday, Kamal said the promises made in the manifestos attracted him during his days as a youth. “They [ the promises] were not materialised and there comes the MNM to implement promises,” he said.

On children of the leaders contesting the LS poll, Kamal said that it used to be referred as the land of rising sun but now has turned to “the land of raising son”.

When asked about his party’s stand on releasing the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts, Kamal said that they should be released on compassionate grounds.