Chennai, March 24: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan, whose Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) would be making electoral debut in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019, won't be contesting the polls. The announcement was made by him on Sunday, while releasing the party's manifesto in Coimbatore. "All candidates are my faces...not necessary that I should contest," he said.

Reaching out to the Tamil Nadu electorate with a populist manifesto, Haasan said that his party candidates, if elected as lawmakers, would strive to provide 50 lakh jobs to the youth and turn around the agrarian sector with the goal to generate "100 per cent profit for farmers". Over 100 Tamil Nadu Farmers to Contest Against PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi.

Apart from the 39 parliamentary seats, Haasan has also fielded candidates for the bypoll in 18 seats of the Tamil Nadu assembly.

Here's What Kamal Haasan Said:

Among five major promises made to farmers by the MNM, includes the constitution of a committee to fix fair wages for landless farm labourers; setting up of Secured & Integrated Agricultural Zone (SIZA) across Tamil Nadu; investment of Rs 500 crore in seed capital fund and agro & technology start-ups.

Here 5 Major Agrarian Promises Made by Kamal Haasan's Party:

Notably, Tamil Nadu has been reeling under agrarian distress over the past three years, with farmers of the state staging several rounds of demonstrations in the national capital. The protesting farm bodies have demanded the Centre to implement the Swaminathan Commission recommendations.

Elections to both - 39 parliamentary seats as well as the 18 assembly bypolls in the state - will be held in the first phase, on April 11, 2019. The counting of votes is scheduled on May 23.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 24, 2019 10:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).