In what is undoubtedly a news-breaking confession, the 62-year-old Tamil celluloid superstar Kamal Haasan, whose political career has been the cause of massive speculation lately, finally came out and told The Quint that he was seriously considering forming his own party.
Update: Speaking at an event in Chennai on Friday, Haasan indicated that he could join hands with Rajnikanth in politics. However, he added that he would not be entering the field in haste.
I will not enter politics in haste. There are questions as to whether I will join hands with Rajnikanth in politics. If Rajnikanth enters politics, I will join hands with him.Kamal Haasan
Earlier, Haasan had told The Quint:
Yes I am thinking on those lines, not out of choice but compulsion. Which existent political party can provide me with a platform or an ideology that will match my reformatory goals in politics?Kamal Haasan to The Quint
Politics Isn’t A Game
Kamal is exasperated and amused by the affiliation-by-association that the media is thrusting on him.
“I just have to be photographed with any politician and I am supposed to be joining his party. The other day I met the Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and I was supposed to have developed a penchant for communism. But, becoming a part of any political party is not a simple process of hopping, skipping and jumping in. A political party is about an ideology. And I don’t think my goals in politics can match the ideology of any political party.”
The Failure of the Indian Political System
Kamal feels the political system in India has failed. And nowhere more so than in Tamil Nadu.
“The ouster of Sasikala is a solid step forward. But just the beginning. I was extremely vocal about getting rid of her. Now that it has happened I feel a little more encouraged in my belief that the politics of Tamil Nadu can change. And I want to bring about that change, no matter how slowly it may be.”
Electorate at Fault Too
He holds the electorate responsible as much as the politicians.
“When I am elected I’d like to be held accountable by the voter. Don’t vote me in and then wait for five years to vote me out. Sack me immediately if I don’t deliver. This is the only way change in the politics of the country can come about. Why only Tamil Nadu? You may ask. Well, I have to start somewhere. First I must clean my own home before I start on the neighbours.”
“Yes, I Am An Opportunist”
About being called an opportunist for his belated political plans Kamal shrugs, “Yes, I am an opportunist . This is the right time for me to come into active politics because everything that can possibly go wrong is going wrong. We need better governance. I am not promising swift remedies. But I promise to start the process of change. This change may not even happen in my lifetime. Hopefully there will be others to carry forward the cleansing process.”
Kamal Haasan takes the political plunge under tremendous danger. “There are warnings about me being eliminated. To this I say, either I go or corruption in politics goes. We can’t have both.”
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