Kamal Haasan to enter Rajya Sabha with support from DMK

Chennai: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan is poised to enter the Rajya Sabha with support from the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which is likely to renominate its legal eagle P Wilson, who is the face behind Tamil Nadu government’s victory against Governor R N Ravi in the Supreme Court.

70-year-old Kamal Haasan was promised the seat after his Makkal Needhi Maiam formally joined the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in March 2024 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Kamal didn’t evince interest in contesting the Parliament elections and instead asked for a RS seat, which was announced by DMK president M K Stalin.

“Of the four seats that the DMK can win, one will go to Kamal Haasan. The party is moving to finalise candidates for the remaining three seats,” a senior DMK leader told DH. As part of the 2024 agreement, Kamal campaigned for the DMK alliance candidates across the state and the DMK plans to utilise his charisma in the next year’s assembly elections as well, especially in the wake of the challenge from actor Vijay.

Kamal Haasan, who was one of vociferous critics of the DMK by tearing into the party in 2019 and 2021 elections, lost his political sheen and began courting the M K Stalin-led political party after successive electoral defeats.

Wilson, who shot to limelight following his legal fight against the then AIADMK government in ensuring that late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi was buried on the Marina Beach, and M M Abdulla, who is considered close to Udhayanidhi Stalin, are likely to get a second-term in the Upper House, while the party will select a candidate for the remaining seat.

The senior lawyer is seen as instrumental in getting an order in favour of the Tamil Nadu government in a case filed against Governor Ravi for his inordinate delay in signing bills into laws. Stalin also personally felicitated Wilson and other senior counsels who represented the state government in the apex court.

“Abdulla is likely to get renominated not just because he is close to the first family but also because the top brass is keen on ensuring Muslim representation especially in the wake of the controversy over Waqf Bill. Also, the DMK is keen on keeping its Muslim vote bank intact ahead of the 2026 elections,” the DMK leader added.

Vaiko and M Shanmugam, a trade union leader, are unlikely to be renominated to Rajya Sabha.

In the Opposition camp, the AIADMK, which can win two seats with support from ally BJP, is likely to announce candidates for both seats as it seems unwilling to part with seats for alliance partners.

PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss, who is retiring on July 24, is unlikely to get repeated with his party being preoccupied with the tussle between him and his father Dr S Ramadoss. AIADMK has already made it clear that it never gave a commitment to its ally DMDK to allot a Rajya Sabha seat.

“We have so many contenders for the two Rajya Sabha seats that we can win with support from allies. We want to contest both seats to send a clear message ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. It is unlikely that we will yield one seat to an ally,” an AIADMK leader said.