Need to clean up Fort St George, says Kamal in maiden campaign

Speaking at T Nagar Bus Depot, Kamal pointed out the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl and said that the Makkal Needhi Maiam would bear legal expenses in the case on behalf of the aggrieved parents.

“This type incidents are happening because you have sent wrong persons to the fort (St George Fort). It is your duty to vote and clean the fort so that this kind of incidents prevented,” he said.

Explaining his decision of opting out from contesting from any Lok Sabha seat, Kamal said, “We have selected candidates who are like the common man and who can understand people’s needs. This is why I did not contest directly in the election. I wanted to be a palanquin to carry the good candidates. MNM candidates are my face.”

IN a fervent appeal, the MNM leader said, “first-time voters should think what is good for them and for the country before pressing the button on the machine, rather than following what your parents and grandparents did.”

An official party statement said that Kamal Haasan would campaign at more than 25 places in Chennai on Friday and he would start the trail early at 8 am in the morning.

Actors arriving late to the shooting spot is something common and this continues for actor Kamal Haasan, even after he turned politician.

A small crowd of less than 200, including Makkal Needhi Maiam cadre and general public was present at Perumbakkam from where MNM president Kamal Haasan kick-started his election campaign. The famous actor turned up three hours late and spoke for a few minutes. Though his speech focused on woes of the resettled slum dwellers in Perumbakkam and Semmancheri, the complexity in his choice of words failed to strike a chord with the people. The enthusiasm of the crowd to catch a glimpse of the MNM leader and the popular waned as the wait got elongated. Many of them left the spot, before Kamal arrived. “I am a staunch supporter of a Dravidian party. But I came here to catch a direct glimpse of Kamal,” Munusamy, a saloon owner from Perumbakkam said. Due to the late arrival, the MNM leader, who was scheduled to make his first speech at 4 pm reached only at 7 pm, was forced to cut short his address in many places. Reflecting the distance that the national-award-winning actor need to travel in politics, an auto driver in Saidapet said, “I am Kamal’s fan. Once they said that the Kamal is coming, I waited to see him. But I would not support him as a politician.”