Kamal Haasan Set to Enter Rajya Sabha with DMK Support
Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan is all set to make his debut in the Rajya Sabha, with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu backing his nomination. The DMK has decided to allocate one of its four Rajya Sabha seats to Haasan’s party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), as part of a pre-poll alliance formed ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The MNM has already passed a resolution confirming Haasan’s nomination to the Upper House. Haasan launched his political career in 2018, vowing to provide a credible alternative to the state’s traditional parties.
On Tuesday, the DMK officially named its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The three party nominees are senior advocate P. Wilson, writer and poet Salma, and former minister S.R. Sivalingam. Haasan's nomination fills the fourth seat earmarked for the DMK-led alliance.
Tamil Nadu is set to witness six Rajya Sabha vacancies on July 24, 2025, with prominent figures like PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss and MDMK chief Vaiko retiring. The DMK is in a position to comfortably secure four seats, while the AIADMK, with support from allies including the BJP, is expected to win the remaining two, based on current Assembly strength.
Haasan has also recently found himself in the middle of a controversy over his remarks about the Tamil-Kannada linguistic connection. While promoting his upcoming film Thug Life in Chennai, he commented that "Kannada was born out of Tamil," which triggered strong reactions in Karnataka.
He had started his speech with the Tamil phrase "Uyire Urave Tamizhe" ("my life and my family") and referenced the presence of Kannada actor Shivarajkumar, calling him part of the same linguistic family. “That’s why he’s here. That’s why I began my speech with life, relationship, and Tamil. Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil, so you too are included,” Haasan said.
The comment drew sharp criticism, with BJP Karnataka state president Vijayendra Yediyurappa calling the statement "uncultured" and accusing Haasan of insulting Kannada speakers to elevate Tamil. He demanded a public apology, saying Haasan had “hurt the self-respect of 6.5 crore Kannadigas.”
