'Makkal Needhi Maiam's symbol represents six southern states'

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Wednesday said the six 'enjoining hands' symbol of his new political party 'Makkal Needhi Maiam' represents six southern states.

While speaking at the launch of the party, for which Haasan has "picked ideologies from everyone", the politician said he had kept his party's name 'Maiam' (Centre) because he did not belong to either Left or Right.

The six southern states Haasan was talking about are Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and one Union Territory Andeman and Nicobar Islands.

"People ask me what is Maiam, and if I am a Left or a Right. This is why I have kept my party's name 'Maiam', which means centre. The six hands in my party symbol represent six states and the star in the middle represents people," Haasan said.

He said his party would work on providing quality education to all and diminishing caste and religion difference in the society.

"We will work on many issues including these. We will set an example; fight corruption together. People have unfortunately sold their votes for merely Rs 6,000. People ask me if I will give them money. My answer is no, I will not. If you accept money, you cannot ask your representative for anything," he said.

Haasan said that all these years he was in people's heart and now he wants to be a part of their residence, "I am the lamp in your house, which does not flicker in winds of corruption."

When asked who his inspiration is -- Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi or Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, the former actor said he liked and was inspired from all, including Arvind Kejriwal, N. Chandrababu Naidu, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Barack Obama.

Haasan said he wanted to start his party silently and move slowly towards campaigning.

"There is no starvation for money, but for good-hearted people."

On the Supreme Court's verdict on the Cauvery dispute, Haasan said Tamil Nadu could get water if there was good dialogue with Karnataka. "I can even get blood (donated blood, not violence)."

He said his two daughters - Shruti Haasan and Akshara Haasan, who were present at the launch event, were free to decide whether to join him in this new journey or not.