Kamal Haasan takes Rajya Sabha oath in Tamil, begins new chapter in politics

New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan officially began his journey in Parliament on Friday by taking his oath as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha.

The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief took his oath in Tamil, greeted by enthusiastic table thumps from fellow MPs in the Upper House.

Haasan, 69, was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on June 12, with the backing of the DMK-led alliance. The swearing-in marked his formal entry into national politics, after years of public service and political activism in Tamil Nadu.

Ahead of the ceremony, Haasan said, “I am going to take the oath and register my name in Delhi today. I am going to fulfil this duty with honour given to me as an Indian.”

In a conversation with NDTV the day before, he reflected on the significance of the moment: “I am honoured to begin with. I know I've to do a lot. Something is expected of me – I hope I live up to those expectations. I'll try my best to be honest, earnest and speak for Tamil Nadu and India,” he said.

Kamal Haasan founded the MNM in 2017, positioning it on a platform committed to combating corruption, improving rural infrastructure, and promoting environmental sustainability. The party captured around 4% of the vote share in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In 2021, Haasan ran for the Tamil Nadu Assembly from the Coimbatore South constituency, where he narrowly lost to BJP's Vanathi Srinivasan.

Though MNM did not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it supported the DMK-led coalition, calling the alliance a “need of the hour.” Following the DMK’s electoral success in Tamil Nadu, the ruling party adopted Haasan’s proposal for direct benefit transfers to women, launching a flagship scheme providing ₹1,000 per month to eligible women-led households.

Looking ahead, MNM is expected to contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections as part of the DMK-led alliance.