Kamal Haasan files nomination for Rajya Sabha election from Tamil Nadu
Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president and actor Kamal Haasan filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat in Chennai on Friday (June 6, 2025), in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
DMK allies — VCK leader Thirumavalavan, MDMK leader Vaiko and Tamil Nadu Congress president K. Selvaperundagai — were also present.
With the DMK allocating one Rajya Sabha seat to Makkal Needhi Maiam, its founder and actor Kamal Haasan was earlier named the candidate for the Upper House of Parliament.
In the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, each candidate requires a minimum of 34 votes to clinch a Rajya Sabha seat. The DMK-led INDIA bloc, with 158 MLAs (DMK: 133, Congress: 17, VCK: 4, CPI: 2, CPM: 2), is poised to win four seats comfortably.
#KamalHaasan files #RajyaSabha nomination as Makkal Needhi Maiam candidate in presence of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin in Chennai
📹PTI pic.twitter.com/Dl0Si21Aqw — The Hindu (@the_hindu) June 6, 2025
The ruling DMK had named poet Salma, incumbent Rajya Sabha MP and advocate P. Wilson, and S.R. Sivalingam as its three candidates for the Rajya Sabha election scheduled for June 19 this year.
Actor Kamal Haasan launched his party in Madurai in 2018. MNM did not contest in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, instead campaigned for the DMK-led INDIA bloc in the State. In return, the DMK had promised a Rajya Sabha seat for the party. MNM had secured 2.62% of the votes in the 2021 State Assembly election.
Thug Life release
Earlier on Thursday (June 5), Kamal Hassan's latest film Thug Life was released to much fanfare.
The film is directed by Mani Ratnam, marking a highly anticipated reunion between the legendary director and Haasan after 38 years.
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