BJP leader H Raja lashed out at iconic Tamil actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan at a press meet on Thursday (18 October) calling him a person who knelt for the release of his film.

BJP's national secretary H Raja said, "Kamal Haasan spent 68 years of his life earning money by acting in films and now, to cheat people, he's taken up politics. I have been in the party (BJP) since the day it was launched. Can Kamal tell that he has spent many years serving the people?", as reported by TNIE.

He further added, "Kamal should be ashamed that he kneeled for the release of his film (Vishwaroopam I). Just for the sake of money, Kamal had said he would leave the country. A person like that has no rights to speak about BJP."

Kamal Haasan, in August, said that his party was ready for the 2019 general elections but was not in the mindset to contest the upcoming by-election in Tamil Nadu.

"We are getting ready for it (2019 general elections), and it's true that we are ready already."

When asked if his party will contest the by-election, he replied saying, "We will teach a lesson to the government to tell them about their duties, but we are not in the mindset to contest it."

Two Assembly seats - Thiruvarur and Thiruparankundram constituencies - have fallen vacant after the deaths of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo M Karunanidhi and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader A K Bose.