Highlights
- 08.22 pm ISTHaasan launches party, names it ‘Makkal Needhi Maiam’
- 8.18 pm ISTKamal Haasan launches website for Makkal Needhi Maiam
- 7.43 pm ISTKamal Haasan’s party name is Makkal Needhi Maiam
- 7.35 pm ISTVisuals from Kamal Haasan’s party launch in Madurai
- 7.30 pm ISTAIADMK says Kamal Haasan is ‘GM seed’, endorses DMK’s jibe at him
- 3.27 pm ISTLED screen falls at Kamal’s party launch venue, none injured
- 2.16 pm ISTKamal Haasan’s political prospects marginal in Tamil Nadu, says Congress leader Veerappa Moily
- 1.53 pm ISTAndhra CM Chandrababu Naidu advises Kamal Haasan
- 1.42 pm ISTKamal Haasan visits Kalam Memorial in Ramanathapuram
- 1.32 pm ISTLike cinema, politics a medium to connect with people, says Kamal Haasan
- 1.26 pm ISTNo politics in visiting Kalam’s house: Kamal Haasan
- 1.18 pm ISTKamal disallowed from visiting school where Kalam studied
- 11.53 am ISTHaasan interacts with fishermen in Rameswaram
- 11.46 am ISTHaasan shown as the second Kalam in posters in Madurai: Report
- 11.43 am ISTHaasan visits Kalam’s house before party launch
- 11.35 am ISTDelhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to attend Kamal Hassan’s new party launch today in Madurai
Kamal Haasan unveiled the party name, ‘Makkal Neethi Maiyyam’ and the party flag in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, today. Photo: ANI/Twitter
- New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Wednesday launched his party, Makkal Needhi Maiam, in Madurai, taking a plunge into the already crowded Tamil Nadu politics. Even actor Rajinikanth has announced his plan to launch a political outfit. Haasan started his day on Wednesday by visiting late president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s house in Rameswaram. He then visited his hometown Paramakudi and is now at Madurai for the party launch. Here are the latest updates and developments from Kamal Haasan’s party launch:
- 08.22 pm IST Haasan launches party, names it ‘Makkal Needhi Maiam’Madurai: Actor Kamal Haasan today launched his political party, naming it “Makkal Needhi Maiam”, and unveiled its flag that symbolises the strength of unity.“I’m not your leader, I’m your tool...this gathering is full of leaders,” he said moments before announcing the party’s name that roughly translates to “Centre for People’s Justice”. The party flag was unveiled just before Haasan announced the name of his party with a brief pause heightening the dramatic effect as the huge crowd roared its approval.The flag in white background has six hands joining together with shades of red over three hands and rest with white along with a star in between surrounded by a star like background in black.Colours black and white has a political significance in Tamil Nadu which forms part of the flags of the two big parties of the state—AIADMK and DMK—and the shades are also seen as a pointer to the Dravidian ideology. (PTI)
- 8.18 pm IST Kamal Haasan launches website for Makkal Needhi MaiamKamal Haasan has also launched official website of Makkal Needhi Maiam, maiam.com
- 7.43 pm IST Kamal Haasan’s party name is Makkal Needhi MaiamYou must be an example to the present day political system and I will be seeking your suggestion rather than giving you speeches, said Kamal Haasan while launching party called Makkal Needhi Maiam.
My party's name is 'Makkal Neethi Maiyyam': Kamal Haasan pic.twitter.com/LqEjj7YMAN
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2018 - 7.35 pm IST Visuals from Kamal Haasan’s party launch in Madurai
#KamalHaasan to launch political party later today, visuals from the rally venue in Madurai pic.twitter.com/A4PFJ9Vjd4
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2018 - 7.30 pm IST AIADMK says Kamal Haasan is ‘GM seed’, endorses DMK’s jibe at himChennai: A senior AIADMK minister today said he agreed with the comments made by DMK working president M.K. Stalin that Kamal Haasan was a “paper flower that could not spread fragrance.”Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said though DMK was his party’s arch rival, he yet concurred with the paper flower comment of Stalin. “It will not bloom, nor give fragrance and it will continue to be a paper flower,” he said of Haasan’s formal entry into politics. (PTI)
- 3.27 pm IST LED screen falls at Kamal’s party launch venue, none injuredA giant LED screen erected at the venue, where actor Kamal Haasan is scheduled to launch his political party in Madurai, collapsed due to heavy winds on Wednesday, police said. However, no one was injured, they said. The incident occurred hours before Haasan is to unveil the name and flag of his political party. Elaborate arrangements have been made at the venue of the launch in Othakadai in the district, where a large number of people are expected to converge. Delhi CM and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is also scheduled to attend the launch event. (PTI)
- 2.16 pm IST Kamal Haasan’s political prospects marginal in Tamil Nadu, says Congress leader Veerappa MoilySenior Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily on Wednesday said that veteran actor Kamal Haasan’s party in Tamil Nadu does not have much political space to grow and sees its prospects on its own steam “very marginal”. The former Union minister said DMK and AIADMK are dominant regional political parties in the state, where superstar Rajinikanth has also announced plans to float his own outfit. “So, I don’t think there will be much (political) space left for other regional parties, unless they align with these mainstream regional parties (DMK and AIADMK),” Moily told PTI. “I think the prospects for Kamal Haasan’s party is very marginal. I don’t think there is much space left by these two dominant regional forces”.“Unless they (Kamal Haasan’s party) have a regional agenda of their own which is better than DMK and AIADMK, what space they will occupy? He (Kamal Haasan) must have thought AIADMK will collapse, and he can occupy that space, I don’t think that is happening,” the former Karnataka CM said. (PTI)
- 1.53 pm IST Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu advises Kamal HaasanActor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan said Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu spoke to him on Tuesday night and advised him to prepare a list of public welfare initiatives rather than spelling out policies. The veteran actor also said he had lived in the hearts of fans but now wanted to live in people’s homes in his new role. (PTI)
- 1.42 pm IST Kamal Haasan visits Kalam Memorial in Ramanathapuram
Kamal Haasan visits Kalam Memorial in Ramanathapuram in #TamilNadu. pic.twitter.com/nWOOgexDPj
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2018 - 1.32 pm IST Like cinema, politics a medium to connect with people, says Kamal HaasanOn being asked about difference he saw between his avatars as an actor and that as a politician, Kamal Haasan said the former has a bit of “barter system” in it. “Cinema is a medium to connect with people and so is politics. But there is more responsibility as a politician. It was like barter system-there (in cinema)—their (people’s) money for my talent. But there is no such thing here (in politics),” he said. On being hailed by his fans and supporters as ‘Nammavar’ (our man) ahead of his political plunge, Haasan said it amounts to people “owning me up as their man.” Haasan has starred in a film titled ‘Nammavar.’
- 1.26 pm IST No politics in visiting Kalam’s house: Kamal HaasanKamal Haasan said there was “no politics” involved in his visit to the late A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s residence on Wednesday, or his proposed one to a school, which did not fructify as the administration denied him the permission, where the former president had studied. He hailed Kalam for his patriotism and other qualities, “Kalam is an important person for me...I was attracted by his patriotism and aspirations. There is no politics in the visit to his house,” he told a press conference in Rameswaram.To a question on why he did not take part in Kalam’s funeral, Haasan said it was because of his “faith”.
- 1.18 pm IST Kamal disallowed from visiting school where Kalam studiedFilm star Kamal Haasan on Wednesday cancelled his proposed visit to an elementary school in Rameswaram where former president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam studied after education authorities denied him permission. Haasan had planned to address the students of the school at 8am. However, the Mandapam Assistant Elementary Education Officer denied permission on the ground that if politicians were allowed to talk to the school children, it would create confusion among the students, official sources said. Besides, the Hindu Munnani leaders objected to the proposed visit of the actor to the government school. Ramanathapuram District Hindu Munnani secretary Ramamurhty had in a letter to the district collector urged him not to permit Haasan to visit the school. The actor, however, seemed unperturbed by the denial of permission to visit the school. “There was no politics in the school visit... They can stop me from going to school but not from learning,” he said later. (PTI)
- 11.53 am IST Haasan interacts with fishermen in RameswaramAfter Kalam house visit, Kamal Haasan interacted with members of the fishermen community in Rameswaram. Haasan said he had learnt about their problems through media reports but wanted to hear it from themselves. “Henceforth, it will happen so,” he said hinting at more such interactions. Previous governments made promises to fishermen but did not live up to them and “divert” the issue when confronted, he charged. (PTI)
- 11.46 am IST Haasan shown as the second Kalam in posters in Madurai: ReportKamal Haasan is shown next to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, and other iconic leaders including rationalist leader Periyar and BR Ambedkar in posters plastered across the streets of Madurai and Rameswaram, according to a News18 report. It further adds Haasan is shown as the second Kalam in some posters.
- 11.43 am IST Haasan visits Kalam’s house before party launchKamal Haasan briefly interacted with Kalam’s nonagenarian brother Mohammed Muthumeeran Lebbai Maraikkayar. Kalam’s family presented a memento carrying an image of the former president to Haasan.
Greatness can come from the simplest of houses and this is one of them. I am touched: Kamal Haasan after visiting APJ Abdul Kalam's house & meeting his brother & sister-in-law in Rameswaram #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/QDxsIGDenK
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2018 - 11.35 am IST Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to attend Kamal Hassan’s new party launch today in MaduraiActor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan will unveil his party name and flag at a public meeting in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai on Wednesday evening.“I will start my rally tomorrow from Rameswaram. Announcements regarding the party flag and the ideology would be unveiled in Madurai. All are invited,” Haasan said on Tuesday.Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder Arvind Kejriwal will attend the party’s launch. The AAP leader had called on Haasan in September last year.