The Election Commission of India has assigned the torch light symbol to Makkal Needhi Maiam ahead of Puducherry's assembly elections. This decision maintains continuity for the party founded by actor Kamal Haasan. MNM plans to join the Secular Progressive Alliance led by DMK, though seat arrangements remain unannounced.
The Election Commission of India allotted the torch light symbol to Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), the political party established by actor and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan, in preparation for the upcoming Puducherry assembly elections. This allocation ensures the party retains the symbol it has used previously, aiding voter recognition since MNM is not yet a recognised state party.
MNM, founded on February 21, 2018, entered the electoral fray in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where it contested 36 out of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and garnered a 3.7% vote share without securing any victories. In the 2021 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the party fielded candidates in 154 constituencies, achieving about 2.62% of the votes but winning no seats; Haasan himself came close to victory in Coimbatore South.
Haasan, elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2024 from Tamil Nadu with support from the DMK-led alliance, leads MNM's efforts to expand in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The party is expected to participate in the Secular Progressive Alliance under DMK, although details on seat sharing have not been revealed.
Kamal Haasan welcomed the symbol assignment, stating, “We welcome the decision. It has brought new enthusiasm to our election campaign ahead of the upcoming polls.” Polls in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu are scheduled for early summer.