Kamal appoints new team, tells party cadre to brace for civic polls

An MNM statement said that the party president would take the additional responsibility of the general secretary. “Two key political advisors, two vice presidents, three state secretaries, an additional central governing body member, coordinator of the Narpani Iyakkam Wing have been appointed today. More such appointments will be made in the days to come,” it added. The new appointments were made after several office-bearers including vice president R Mahendran, general secretaries Dr Santhosh Babu and M Muruganantham quit the party following assembly poll drubbing in which none of the party candidates including Kamal Haasan was able to win. Veteran politician Pala Karuppiah and former aide of ex-President, the late APJ Abdul Kalam, Ponraj Vellaisamy have been appointed political advisors while A G Mourya and Thangavelu are vice presidents, Organisation and Implementation and Activation, respectively. Senthil Arumugam, Siva Elango and Sarath Babu, a well-known entrepreneur, are State Secretaries with different responsibilities. While Haasan appointed Sripriya Sethupathi as Central Governing Body member, G Nagarajan is Coordinator of Narpani Iyakkam Wing.

Siva Elango and Senthil Arumugam are RTI activists and founders of Satta Panchayat Iyakkam and they contested the assembly polls on the MNM ticket. Sarath Babu was a well-known entrepreneur who had been actively involved in electoral as well as social activism. “Join me in welcoming these new appointees who have dedicated their life to serving the people. They will work with you to strengthen the party. Cooperate with them to the fullest. The Local Body elections are coming soon, we must get ready to face it,” the party release quoting Kamal Haasan’s virtual interaction with functionaries said.