Kerala Rajya Sabha members welcome Kamal Haasan in their midst

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, July 25 Superstar Kamal Haasan, who has acted in numerous Malayalam films too and took oath as a Member of the Rajya Sabha on Friday, found company among MPs from Kerala.

Though the legendary actor entered the Upper House from Tamil Nadu, those who got around him on the floor of the House included John Brittas, A.A.Rahim, Harris Beeran, and P.V.Abdul Wahab, all from Kerala.

Incidentally, Hassan and the Kerala unit of the CPI-M, especially Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, enjoy a close relationship.

The actor was in the state capital city recently to launch a documentary video of Vijayan, and whenever he reaches the state capital city, he calls on Vijayan at his official residence.

The 70-year-old actor debuted in the Malayalam film industry with "Kannum Karalum" in 1962 and since then has acted in numerous films, making him the darling of Kerala.

He has acted in around 45 Malayalam films, most of which did well at the box office.

Taking his oath in Tamil, Haasan underscored his cultural roots and civic commitment, stating: “As an Indian, I will do my duty.”

His induction into the Upper House marks a significant milestone in a political journey that began with idealistic fervour and has evolved into strategic pragmatism.

Haasan founded the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) in February 2018, positioning it as a centrist, non-Dravidian alternative to the dominant DMK (the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and the AIADMK (the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam). His early campaigns emphasised transparency, grassroots governance, and a break from entrenched political binaries.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the MNM contested 37 seats and secured a modest vote share, performing relatively better in urban constituencies.

The 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections saw Haasan himself contest from Coimbatore South, where he lost narrowly to the BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan.

Despite the setback, the MNM garnered over 2.6 per cent of the statewide vote as per electoral records.

In March 2024, the MNM joined the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance ahead of the general elections, choosing alliance-building over ideological isolation.

The DMK’s clean sweep of all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu was partly credited to the MNM’s support, and Haasan was subsequently offered a Rajya Sabha seat as part of the alliance’s power-sharing arrangement.

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