Kamal Haasan Led MNM's General Secretary A Arunachalam Quits The Party Citing Support To Farm Laws, Joins BJP

In a massive setback for actor Kamal Haasan who heads the Tamil Nadu based regional political outfit called Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), the party's general secretary A Arunachalam on Friday (25 December) resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reports Times of India.

Arunachalam's exit from MNM comes as a major jolt for Hassan led MNM, as he had been associated with the party since its foundation in 2018 as one of the founding members. He was seen as an active office-bearer of the MNM.

Arunachalam joined the BJP on Friday in the presence of Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. Arunachalam said he joined BJP as MNM did not agree with his views on Centre's three farm sector reform legislations.

He stated that he chose to quit MNM as Hassan decided to take a stand against the laws which, he emphasised, are beneficial to the farmers.

Arunachalam said that MNM supremo Hassan decided to take a stand against the three laws despite MNM claiming to be a 'centrist'.

According to Arunachalam, he told Hassan that these laws should not be seen through the prism of the BJP, but as a government initiative aimed at helping farmers. However, the party still decided to oppose the farm laws, he added.