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Former MNM vice-president Mahendran joins DMK

Mahendran was once the blue-eyed boy of Kamal Haasan

mahendran

R. Mahendran, former vice-president of actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam, on Thursday, joined the DMK in presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. Mahendran had quit MNM in May, saying that the party was functioning in an “undemocratic manner”.

“I have joined with 78 people now. More of my supporters will join the party soon. I am happy that the new DMK government is functioning on the Dravidian ideologies and delivering what M.K. Stalin promised,” Mahendran said.

Mahendran walked out of MNM, after writing a 12-page letter, stating the reasons for the outfit's dismal show in the recently-concluded assembly polls. He had pointed out that Haasan was influenced by outside forces and those the actor chose to contest from Coimbatore South constituency, despite several other options which were available before him. Kamal lost to BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan by 1,728 votes, while Mahendran finished third in the neighbouring Singanallur constituency.

Mahendran, a doctor and a businessman by profession, is one of the popular names in the Coimbatore region. Hailing from Pollachi, near Coimbatore, Mahendran can help the DMK to strengthen its base in the western region. The DMK performed poorly in west Tamil Nadu, in assembly polls.

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