Ex-MNM vice president R Mahendran to join DMK with 78 others, to present 'Member Booklet'

Former Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) vice president R Mahendran is all set to join the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Thursday after he quit the Kamal Haasan-led outfit earlier in May following the dismal performance in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The former MNM functionary had 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.

Ex-MNM vice president to join DMK

In a press release issued on Thursday, Dr R Mahendran informed that he would be joining DMK along with 78 other functionaries in the presence of CM MK Stalin. Upon his induction to DMK at its headquarters Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, the ex-MNM vice president will present a Member Booklet comprising details of 11,000 functionaries who are also reportedly set to join the ruling party in Tamil Nadu.

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.

Hours after MNM vice president R Mahendran quit the party in the wake of the Tamil Nadu election debacle, Kamal Haasan attempted damage control. MNM supremo Kamal Haasan had stated, "His only achievement is ensuring that those who had true intentions of working for the party got nowhere in the party structure. It is a well-known fact that the doors of the Makkal Needhi Maiam party are always open for those who lack honesty and talent. He tries to cover up his lack of honesty, acumen and his failures by blaming it on others and tries to gain sympathy. He tried to pre-empt his removal by resigning. Just like you, I am happy that a weed removed itself. It will be ascendancy for our party henceforth."