Kamal Haasan's party invites applications from aspiring Lok Sabha candidates 

Barely a week after Tamil Nadu's major political parties announced their alliance with national parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan's party Makkal Needhi Maiam has invited applications from candidates aspiring to contest in the Lok Sabha polls. 

In the recent weeks, Kamal has been hinting that his party would be going it alone in the Lok Sabha polls, which would also be their electoral debut. 

The statement from the party says that ‘Application forms may be procured from the MNM headquarters in Chennai and Pollachi by paying an application fee of Rs.10000/- between February 28, 2018 and March 7, 2019’. The applications will be considered and reviewed by the Election Committee of the party and a formal interview will be conducted at the Chennai headquarters after March 7, 2019, it added.

This development comes five days after the party completed its first year, since its inception on February 21st 2018. As a part of the celebrations, Kamal hoisted the party flag outside his office in Chennai amid cheering fans. Later that day, he also visited the Southern districts of Tamil Nadu to carry out party activities. 

Recently, the party also outlined its main goals which include, ensuring people’s welfare, reclaiming the dignity of Tamil politics, removing casteism and irregularities in Government machinery, promoting secularism, aiming for International standards in Education among others. 

With actor Rajinikanth having announced that he would not be contesting the Lok Sabha polls and that their party’s target would be the Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls, Kamal Haasan remains the lone debutant from Tamil Nadu in the Lok Sabha polls from the world of cinema.

As of now, the two major camps in Tamil Nadu are the AIADMK-BJP-PMK combine and the DMK-Congress-Left parties. Smaller regional outfits in the state are also said to be in talks with both factions.