Kamal says his party gearing up to contest LS polls

Makkal Neethi Maiam founder-president Kamal Haasan Wednesday said his party has decided not to contest the two by-elections for the Tamil Nadu Assembly or the civic polls and was gearing up to test its fortunes in the Parliamentary polls.

The party will not contest by-elections to Tiruvarur and Thiruparakundram constituencies, but observe them to prepare for the Lok Sabha elections, he told reporters here on the sidelines of a two-day workshop for MNM office-bearers.

The actor-turned-politician also said the party office-bearers had expressed their desire to go it alone in the elections.

He said Avinash Iragavarapu, who was part of US President Donald Donald's campaign team in Arizona, was among those who addressed the MNM workers at the workshop.

On BJP national secretary H Raja's alleged outburst against the Judiciary and Police department, Haasan said one, however big, should not criticise these institutions.

Later in an interaction with industrialists and students at a function organised by CII, Young Indians and Sri Krishna Institutions, Haasan exhorted the student community to enter politics to bring in change in the system and politics itself.