Superstar-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), on Monday, 8 March, announced its seat sharing agreement for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.
Out of 234 seats, it will be contesting on 154 seats. The remaining 80 seats have been divided equally between party allies – actor R Sarathkumar’s All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) and TR Pachamuthu’s Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK).
The memorandum of understanding signed by the MKM, the AISMK and the IJK stated, “With the common agenda of restoring the pride and glory of Tamil Nadu, they have decided to embark on a long-lasting journey together”.
“The primary goal of this platform is to contest the upcoming Assembly elections with a promise for change and emerge victorious to form the government,” said the MoU.
“The parties have committed to the common goal of transforming Tamil Nadu by fulfilling the long-pending aspirations of the people,” added the agreement.
Background
Tamil Nadu is set to witness a multi-cornered contest, with the major players being the AIADMK-BJP on one side and the DMK-Congress on the other.
It has been home to Dravidian parties AIADMK and DMK for decades, but this year, as Haasan would like to call it, the state is seeing the emergence of the third front. Haasan launched his party MNM in 2018 and will be making his poll debut in these upcoming elections.
Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen is also set to contest for the April-May 2021 polls in Tamil Nadu where his dominant voter base – Muslims – form 5.86 percent of the population, according to the 2011 Census. Owaisi announced the party’s decision on Monday, 1 March.
The 234-member Assembly polls are being held in a single phase on 6 April. Counting of votes will take place on 2 May.
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