Kamal Haasan to enter Rajya Sabha with support from DMK, 3 other names out

Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK on Wednesday announced that it would contest 4 out of the 6 Rajya Sabha seats from the state in the upcoming June 19 biennial elections.

As part of its alliance strategy, the party allotted one Upper House seat to its ally, the Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam, marking a significant political move ahead of the polls, ANI reported.

Also Read: ‘DMK not afraid of ED or Modi’: Udhayanidhi Stalin as Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin attends NITI Aayog meet chaired by PM

The Dravidian party re-nominated its incumbent member in the Upper House, senior advocate P Wilson and also named 2 others; the party's Salem-based leader, SR Sivalingam and Ruqayya Malik alias Kavignar Salma, a poet, writer and party office-bearer.

70-year-old Kamal Haasan was promised a Rajya Sabha seat after his party, Makkal Needhi Maiam, formally joined the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in March 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Haasan chose not to contest the Lok Sabha polls and instead requested a Rajya Sabha seat, which was later confirmed by DMK president M.K. Stalin.

Also Read: DMK leader’s wife alleges he forced girls to ‘sleep with politicians’; AIADMK warns of massive protests

On July 24, 2025, six RS members from Tamil Nadu will retire and it includes PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss and MDMK top leader Vaiko.

Out of the 6 seats, based on its strength and that of its allies in the State Assembly, DMK could easily win 4 seats and main opposition AIADMK could win 2 seats, with support from allies including the BJP.

(With inputs from ANI)