Saurabh Mukherjee
The DMK on Wednesday, May 28, announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu, scheduled for June 19, allocating one of the six seats to its ally, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), paving the way for party founder and actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s entry into the Upper House.
The DMK, which is poised to win four of the six seats based on its strength in the state Assembly, renominated senior advocate and sitting MP P. Wilson for a second term.
The party also named former minister S.R. Sivalingam and noted writer and feminist voice Salma as its other two candidates.
Later in the day, the MNM passed a resolution officially nominating Kamal Haasan as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls.
Responding to a congratulatory message on social media platform X, from DMK youth wing secretary and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Haasan wrote, “Dear brother Udhay Stalin, thank you for your heartfelt wishes.”
With 133 DMK MLAs and the support of INDIA bloc allies—the Congress (17 MLAs), CPI (2), CPM (2), and VCK (4)—the ruling alliance comfortably holds the numbers to win four Rajya Sabha seats. Each candidate requires 34 votes in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
The announcement ends speculation surrounding the renomination of MDMK chief Vaiko, a longtime ally of the DMK.
The DMK had earlier promised to send Haasan to the Rajya Sabha when the MNM joined the INDIA alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Haasan, a legendary actor with a six-decade career in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam cinema, is a three-time National Award winner and known for his advocacy of rationalism and governance reform. He founded MNM in 2018 to champion clean and transparent politics.
Salma, whose real name is Rokkaya Malik, is a prominent feminist writer from a conservative Muslim background in Thuvarankurichi. Her acclaimed works, such as The Hours Past Midnight, explore themes of womanhood and social confinement. A former chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board and a longtime DMK supporter, her nomination highlights the party’s emphasis on inclusivity and progressive representation.
P. Wilson, a senior advocate in the Supreme Court and Madras High Court, has played a crucial role in defending Tamil Nadu’s federal rights and challenging perceived overreach by the Centre and the Governor. His renomination underscores his continuing importance to the DMK’s legal strategy.
Sivalingam, a veteran party loyalist from Salem, has served the DMK in various capacities and is recognised for his organisational experience and long-term commitment to the party.
On the Opposition side, the AIADMK, which has 62 MLAs, is expected to secure the remaining two Rajya Sabha seats with the support of NDA allies—the BJP (4 MLAs) and PMK (5 MLAs).
However, internal disagreements have emerged over candidate selection. DMDK leader Premalatha Vijayakanth has publicly claimed her party was promised a seat during the 2024 Lok Sabha alliance talks, a claim disputed by AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who insists no formal agreement existed.
Meanwhile, both the BJP and PMK are reportedly eyeing the second AIADMK-backed seat, with speculation rife that the BJP may push for its former Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai, who stepped down ahead of the party’s renewed alliance with the AIADMK for the 2026 Assembly elections.
The DMK, which is poised to win four of the six seats based on its strength in the state Assembly, renominated senior advocate and sitting MP P. Wilson for a second term.
The party also named former minister S.R. Sivalingam and noted writer and feminist voice Salma as its other two candidates.
Later in the day, the MNM passed a resolution officially nominating Kamal Haasan as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls.
Responding to a congratulatory message on social media platform X, from DMK youth wing secretary and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Haasan wrote, “Dear brother Udhay Stalin, thank you for your heartfelt wishes.”
With 133 DMK MLAs and the support of INDIA bloc allies—the Congress (17 MLAs), CPI (2), CPM (2), and VCK (4)—the ruling alliance comfortably holds the numbers to win four Rajya Sabha seats. Each candidate requires 34 votes in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
The announcement ends speculation surrounding the renomination of MDMK chief Vaiko, a longtime ally of the DMK.
The DMK had earlier promised to send Haasan to the Rajya Sabha when the MNM joined the INDIA alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Haasan, a legendary actor with a six-decade career in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam cinema, is a three-time National Award winner and known for his advocacy of rationalism and governance reform. He founded MNM in 2018 to champion clean and transparent politics.
Salma, whose real name is Rokkaya Malik, is a prominent feminist writer from a conservative Muslim background in Thuvarankurichi. Her acclaimed works, such as The Hours Past Midnight, explore themes of womanhood and social confinement. A former chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board and a longtime DMK supporter, her nomination highlights the party’s emphasis on inclusivity and progressive representation.
P. Wilson, a senior advocate in the Supreme Court and Madras High Court, has played a crucial role in defending Tamil Nadu’s federal rights and challenging perceived overreach by the Centre and the Governor. His renomination underscores his continuing importance to the DMK’s legal strategy.
Sivalingam, a veteran party loyalist from Salem, has served the DMK in various capacities and is recognised for his organisational experience and long-term commitment to the party.
On the Opposition side, the AIADMK, which has 62 MLAs, is expected to secure the remaining two Rajya Sabha seats with the support of NDA allies—the BJP (4 MLAs) and PMK (5 MLAs).
However, internal disagreements have emerged over candidate selection. DMDK leader Premalatha Vijayakanth has publicly claimed her party was promised a seat during the 2024 Lok Sabha alliance talks, a claim disputed by AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who insists no formal agreement existed.
Meanwhile, both the BJP and PMK are reportedly eyeing the second AIADMK-backed seat, with speculation rife that the BJP may push for its former Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai, who stepped down ahead of the party’s renewed alliance with the AIADMK for the 2026 Assembly elections.
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