Chennai: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan will participate in the Erode East byelection campaign on Sunday, canvassing for EVKS Elangovan, a candidate for the ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance.
Since its founding in 2018, Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has competed in every poll, including the 2021 Assembly elections, by itself. This will be the first time MNM is supporting another party in an electoral contest.
Congress leader Elangovan is pitted against the AIADMK's K S Thennarasu while Seeman's Naam Tamizhar Katchi and actor Vijayakanth's DMDK candidates are also in the fray, PTI reported.
According to the itinerary released by MNM here, Haasan will hold campaign meetings in five locations later on Sunday
The Congress candidate, father of Thirumahan Everaa whose death recently necessitated the bypoll, had earlier met Haasan and sought support following which MNM decided to back the former TNCC president.
Everaa, the great-grandson of rationalist leader Periyar E V Ramasamy, was elected as MLA from the constituency in 2021.
The bypoll result will be seen as an indicator of the DMK government's performance and the electoral battle is being viewed as a direct contest between the ruling party and its archrival, the K Palaniswami-led AIADMK.