Chennai sources stated that actor turned politician Kamal Hassan has said the leaders of his political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), will not indulge in horse-trading in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Hassan told news agency "The needle in the balance will be Makkal Needhi Maiam. We will not be sold, we won't indulge in horse-trading and so, it will be a difficult negotiation for them. It will be an actual negotiation, not done with money".
Meanwhile the party released its first list of 21 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Tamilnadu and Puducherry and the list does not include Hassan's name. He said "The theme is a better Tamilnadu. Even though people will say that this is about choosing the Prime Minister, He have chosen Tamilnadu and that will happen via Delhi because I think whoever the Prime Minister becomes, my prime concern is Tamilnadu and it will always be so”.
Moreover Hassan said he does not compare Congress and BJP as they "both have their equal share of mistakes that they have done." Apparently when asked about reports of various political parties promising the release of those involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Hassan said, "There is a place for law and there is a place for compassion. He thinks the law has done its part and now it's time for us to show compassion if we have any at all."
