Actor Kamal Haasan, who recently founded the political party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), called on United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her residence in Delhi. The meeting on Thursday, June 21, comes just a day after the actor-turned-politician met Congress President Rahul Gandhi to discuss the situation in Tamil Nadu.
Informed sources described the meeting as a "courtesy call."
While in Delhi, the MNM founder also met Election Commission officials and expressed confidence that the process of registration of his political party will be done in around a week's time.
Haasan's trips to meet the Congress leaders have fueled speculations of a possible alliance in the state of Tamil Nadu for the next elections. With the general elections looming, Haasan faces an uphill task of getting his party off the ground and into Parliament.
With fellow actor Rajinikanth also due to join politics soon, Haasan may be willing to join hands with the Congress to ensure that his party stands a better chance in the elections. While he is a very popular actor, Kamal Haasan's profile as a politician is yet to be seen, and he will face a huge challenge from Rajini, as well as the two dominant parties in Tamil Nadu.
An alliance may also offer the Congress a chance of making a comeback in the state, where it has lost all its hold to the DMK and AIADMK parties that are riding high in the state, being associated with influential names like Karunanidhi and the late Jayalalithaa.
Haasan denied discussing an alliance in his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, but there is plenty of reason to believe that one is definitely brewing.
[With inputs from IANS]
