Actor Kumar quits Bjp-led NDA, joins Kamal Haasan
CHENNAI: A day ater the Election Commission announced dates for elections to five state legislatures including Tamil Nadu, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the state’s ruling Anna DMK lost an ally.
The Samathwa Makkal Katchi (People’s Equality Party) led by popular actor Sarath Kumar on Saturday walked out of the alliance and joined hands with the Makkal Neethi Maiyyam ( MNM) led by megastar Kamal Haasan.
MNM and its allies thus become a third front that Kamal had been talking about these days.
Sources said that Kamal and Kumar held detailed discussions and it was decided that the name for chief minister would be decided ater polls.
Kumar’s party draws its support from the Nadar community, which is a sizeable vote bank in the state.
Dealing another blow to the ADMK, its former MLA Pazha Karuppiah on Saturday joined the MNM. The oufit called Sata Panchayath also joined the MNM alliance. Kamal said Karuppiah will be a candidate.
Kamal announced a panel that will scrutinise nominations. The panel that comprises Kamal Haasan, Pazha Karuppiah and former president Abdul Kalam’s advisor Ponraj among others will interview candidates.
The first list would be out on March 7. MNM sources said Kamal Haasan will embark on another round of campaign across Tamil Nadu from Wednesday.
Within the NDA, seat-sharing talks between ADMK and BJP is known to have hit a block ater the BJP claimed 40 seats and the ADMK said it could offer only 15.
The BJP doesn’t have any significant presence in Tamil Nadu and has to rely heavily on the ADMK. BJP’S Tamil Nadu election incharge and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy, BJP national general secretary C
T Ravi and state president L. Murugan met Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam at their residences during the day. The seat dispute would be setled as Palaniswamy and Panneerselvam meets Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, ADMK sources said.
Shah is arriving in Chennai on Sunday and would address a public meeting at Villupuram, following which he will be meeting the party members.