TN CM says Haasan's political innings will end in a fiasco

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Tuesday ticked off actor-politician Kamal Haasan for "showing off" as a leader despite lack of knowledge in basic politics and claimed that his political innings will end in a fiasco.

A day after taking on superstar Rajinikanth who is expected to foray into politics, the Chief Minister targeted the Makkal Needhi Maiam chief, saying he founded a political party as he does not have suitable opportunties in Tamil cinema in view of his advancing age.

On Monday, Palaniswami hit out at Rajinikanth for his comment that there was a leadership vacuum in Tamil Nadu, saying he was just an actor and not a political leader.

While no political leader claimed a vacuum, the remark came only from the actor, he had said.

A perception is prevalent among some that a vacuum exists in politics after AIADMK stalwart J Jayalalithaa and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi died in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Taunting Haasan, the Chief Minister said, "he is a big leader," and wondered why his MNM did not contest the recent bypolls to Vikravandi and Nanguneri Assembly constituencies. He wanted to know the votes polled by MNM in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

AIADMK won the bypolls to the two seats and though MNM could not win any seats in the Lok Sabha polls, it came third in a number of urban and semi-urban constituencies.

Palaniswami said Haasan is now 65 and alleged since there were no suitable opportunities in the film field, he has launched a political party.

In a democracy, however, anyone can launch a party and it is a matter of right, he said.

Targeting the actor-politician for finding fault with his government, the Chief Minister wanted to know "where he had been all these years."