MNM blamegame begins; VP Mahendran resigns citing Kamal Haasan's attitude, ditching IPAC

Makkal Needhi Main (MNM) vice president Dr Mahendran resigned from the party's primary membership as he saw 'no hope for any change in the attitude or approach' of party president Kamal Haasan with regards to the functioning of the outfit. Kamal Haasan's MNM drew a blank in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, including the party's president losing to BJP's Vanathi Srinivasan from Coimbatore South constituency. Announcing his decision to quit MNM, Mahendran stated that Haasan he knew would always give preference to the party ideology and would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the cadre and hoped that Kamal Haasan 'regains & retains' the leadership qualities that he had once displayed. 

MNM vice president quits party, cites Kamal Haasan's attitude

Explaining the rationale behind his resignation, the former MNM vice president noted that he had worked vigorously with Kamal Haasan during the 'good old days' between April 2018 to September 2019 to make the party election ready and claimed that there was a decline in Kamal Haasan's 'tenacity of purpose'. Secondly, Mahendran said that Kamal Haasan had replaced the services of IPAC, which was responsible for victories of many political parties, with an inexperienced Sankhya Solutions to strategise MNM's campaign and accused them of not even being aware of 'Brand Kamal Haasan'. Mahendran further said that MNM & Kamal Haasan's failure in the election was attributed to the mishandling of the actor-turned-politician's image by Sankhya and his Key advisor and claimed that it was the opinion of other party cadres as well.

DMK emerges victorious in Tamil Nadu Assembly elections

DMK denied AIADMK the opportunity to return to power for the third consecutive term and comfortably swept the recently concluded Assembly polls, ensuring its return to power after ten years. While DMK won 133 seats in the 234-seat Assembly, its allies Congress, VCK, CPI, CPIM emerged victorious in 18, 3 and two seats respectively. AIADMK, the 'big brother' of the NDA alliance, managed to win just 66 seats while its allies BJP and PMK won four and five seats respectively. In the past, the DMK had been the ruling party five times, during 2006-11, 1996-2001, 1989-91, 1971-76, and 1967-71. Earlier on Tuesday the MNM chief met MK Stalin at his residence and congratulated him on DMK’s victory in the assembly elections. Kamal Haasan also congratulated Udhayanidhi Stalin, who won from Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni constituency in Chennai.