Kamal Haasan to campaign for Trinamool in Andamans

Kolkata, March 25 (IANS) Popular actor and Tamil Nadu-based Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan, who met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Monday, will campaign for her Trinamool Congress in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The Trinamool has fielded eight-time Congress MP Manoranjan Bhakta's grandson Ayan Mondal as its candidate in the Andaman and Nicobar constituency.

"We have formed a political alliance (with MNM). Our candidate in the Andamans is Manoranjan Bhakta's grandson Ayan Mondal. Kamal Haasan has extended his support to us and he will go there on April 6 to address a public meeting," Banerjee said after her meeting with the south Indian actor at the state secretariat, Nabanna here.

"From our party, state Minister Sujit Bose and other leaders will also be there. It is a good opportunity for the people of Bengal and Tamil Nadu to work together. Especially, someone like Kamal Haasan has very good credentials... not just as a politician but also as an actor. Everybody knows his name. His idea of rendering service to the people is very good and unique. We are grateful to him for his initiative," she said.

Haasan himself said the focus of his meeting with Banerjee has been the Andaman and Nicobar Lok Sabha seat. However, he refused to comment on whether his party will be a part of the anti-BJP alliance in the coming polls.

"Right now the focus of the discussion (with Banerjee) is the Andamans. I am a small regional party. So I am thinking about my region and Bengal because I love Bengal. We will take things forward step by step," he said.