Tamil Nadu: Actor Turned Politician Kamal Haasan Poised For Rajya Sabha Entry Backed By DMK

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan is set to make his debut in the Rajya Sabha, following the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) decision to allocate one of its seats to his Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party, as part of their electoral alliance, The Hindu reported.

The ruling DMK, on Wednesday (28 May), announced that it would contest four out of the six Rajya Sabha seats up for election from the state in the upcoming biennial polls scheduled for 19 June.

The party has renominated its current Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate P Wilson. It also named SR Sivalingam, a party leader from Salem, and Ruqayya Malik, also known as Kavignar Salma, a poet, writer, and party office-bearer, as its other two candidates.

Kamal Haasan was assured a Rajya Sabha seat after his party formally joined the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in March 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Haasan did not contest in the Lok Sabha polls, instead seeking a seat in the Upper House, a request that was later endorsed by DMK president M.K. Stalin.

On 24 July 2025, six members representing Tamil Nadu in the Rajya Sabha will retire, including PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss and MDMK leader Vaiko.

The opposition AIADMK is expected to win the remaining two seats with backing from its partners, including the BJP.

The DMK-led alliance, which commands a comfortable majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, is expected to win four seats, while the main opposition AIADMK, with support from the BJP and O Panneerselvam faction, is likely to secure the remaining two seats.

According to a report by IndiaTV, the MNM’s central committee has already passed a resolution endorsing Haasan’s nomination, and his candidacy is expected to be formalised soon.

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