Renowned actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan was sworn in as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha on Friday during the Monsoon Session. Taking his oath in Tamil, Haasan received a warm welcome marked by thunderous table thumping from fellow members in the Upper House.
The 69-year-old actor-turned-politician, speaking to the media after the ceremony, said,
“I am very proud and honoured.”
This marks a historic milestone in Haasan’s political career, as he formally enters the national legislative arena with the support of the DMK-led alliance, fulfilling a promise made to MNM for its support during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“Today, as I rose to take the affirmation as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, I did so with a heart full of humility and a conscience weighed by responsibility.
I have sworn to uphold the Constitution of India not as a ritual of formality, but as a solemn promise to serve its spirit with fidelity, courage, and conscience.
I will strive to be the voice of Tamil Nadu in Delhi – clear, compassionate, and committed. I will speak not for one community, but for the common good,” Haasan declared.
Political Journey & Nomination
Kamal Haasan had filed his nomination on June 6, 2025, at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat in the presence of top leaders, including Chief Minister MK Stalin, Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, and other INDIA bloc allies like Thol. Thirumavalavan (VCK), Vaiko (MDMK), and Tamil Nadu Congress chief Selvaperunthagai.
With 158 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly under the DMK-led INDIA bloc (DMK-133, Congress-17, VCK-4, CPI-2, CPM-2), the alliance had the numbers to easily secure four Rajya Sabha seats. A minimum of 34 votes is required to win one seat.
Unopposed Victory
On June 12, Kamal Haasan and five others were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu. He received his election certificate from Returning Officer Subramani at the Chennai Secretariat.
The five others elected include:
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Poet Salma (A Rokkaiah Malik) – DMK
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SR Sivalingam – DMK
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P Wilson – DMK (re-elected for second term)
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IS Inbadurai – AIADMK
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Dhanapal – AIADMK
The ceremony was attended by Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin and several other MPs.
Haasan’s entry into Parliament is not just symbolic of his political growth, but also marks the formal alliance between MNM and the ruling DMK bloc. With his oath in Tamil, he has set the tone for a political innings rooted in language, identity, and constitutional duty.