Ready to contest if polls are held in 100 days: Kamal Haasan

CHENNAI| NEW DELHI: Film star Kamal Haasan has said that he was ready to contest elections but was unlikely to have any business with existing political parties. Giving an indication for the first time on the timeline of his entry into politics, Kamal Haasan told Times NOW in an interview in Chennai on Thursday that the squabbles in AIADMK and made early assembly elections a possibility.

“This is a forced marriage, the bride — the people of Tamil Nadu — wants to be out of the marriage. If there is election in 100 days, I will be there.”

On a day when Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal met him at his residence, Kamal said he had met Rajinikanth and appraised him of his intention to enter politics “I had met Rajinikanth 4-5 weeks back. Both us have a common target to first fight corruption. But I will take one route and he will take another. We didn’t discuss details, so there was no disagreement. I hugged him and told him I was going in...We have been competitors in film industry, but in politics we want to set an example. I will not take potshots at him and he will reciprocate.” Kamal also said that while he will cooperate with all parties he will not align with any. “I am not going to do business with any of them. I will go alone.” Earlier, Kamal had met Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayanand had declared “saffron is not my colour”. The actor has been attacking various factions of the AIADMK and speaking out against corruption in the state.

Though BJP has been working towards increasing its acceptability in Tamil Nadu, party leaders admit they were looking for a stable ally now. “Kamal's fast movement only counters Rajinikanth's political plans. In terms of relevance Kejriwal is losing significance in Delhi politics as even the opposition doesn't consider him one of their own. And when it comes to corruption, no leader can match Modi in steps he has taken, especially in TN,” a BJP party leader said in New Delhi. “Kamal matters little in Delhi and Kejriwal matters little in Tamil Nadu,” he added.