TN Rajya Sabha election: Will Kamal Haasan and Vaiko secure seats?

The Election Commission of India has scheduled the poll date of Rajya Sabha elections for Tamil Nadu on June 19 to fill six seats that will fall vacant on July 24. The retiring members include MDMK chief Vaiko, PMK working president Anbumani Ramadoss, DMK’s senior advocate P Wilson, along with M Shanmugam, M Mohamed Abdulla, and AIADMK’s N Chandrasegharan. The election process begins with the issuance of notifications on June 2, followed by nominations due by June 9. Voting will take place from 9 AM to 4 PM on June 19, with counting starting at 5 PM the same day.

MNM-DMK alliance pact

A key focus of this election is whether Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president and actor Kamal Haasan will secure a Rajya Sabha seat. MNM, an ally of the ruling DMK, has been promised a Rajya Sabha berth as part of their alliance agreement forged ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Haasan, who founded MNM in 2018, has faced electoral setbacks, notably losing the 2021 Coimbatore South Assembly seat to BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan by a narrow margin of 1,728 votes. Despite this, Haasan’s party gained a modest vote share of 2.62 per cent in the 2021 Assembly elections.

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Opting not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Haasan campaigned extensively for the DMK-led alliance, which swept all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry. Political analysts suggest that the DMK, expected to secure four of the six Rajya Sabha seats based on its legislative strength, may nominate Haasan to honour their pact, though no official confirmation has been made.

MDMK cadres anxious

On the other hand, MDMK cadres are anxious about whether their leader, Vaiko, will retain his Rajya Sabha seat. Vaiko, a veteran politician and founder of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), has been a Rajya Sabha member since 2019, following a deal with the DMK that also granted MDMK one Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 elections. The MDMK secured one seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which dominated the state. However, with the DMK likely prioritising its own leaders and allies like the MNM, there is uncertainty over Vaiko’s renomination. MDMK supporters remain hopeful, citing Vaiko’s long-standing alliance with the DMK and his contributions to the coalition.

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Tamil Nadu has 18 Rajya Sabha seats, and with the DMK’s current dominance, the ruling party is poised to strengthen its position in the Upper House. The DMK ruling party will secure four seats and the AIADMK, the main Opposition, is expected to secure two seats, potentially nominating allies like the DMDK, which has also been promised a Rajya Sabha berth. But Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) had denied the claim and said they will decide later for the betterment of the party.