Madurai, Feb 21: Making his much-touted entry into state politics, actor Kamal Haasan on Wednesday launched his party - Makkal Needhi Maiam or the People's Justice Party - in presence of Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

While addressing the gathering at Madurai for his party's launch, Haasan said he would end the "freebie culture" - which remains one of the marquee elements of both DMK and AIADMK ruled regimes.

"If I get elected to power, I would help the state's youth to get jobs. My party would work towards empowering all stratas of society. But we would end this freebie culture, where people are kept dependent for the sake of votes. For years, the youth of Tamil Nadu has been cheated in this manner," Haasan said.

"I will not be making populist promises. What we will be providing is good governance and a crackdown on the state's rampant corruption. So instead of subsidising the electricity cost, your bills would automatically come down after corruption ceases to exist," he added.

Haasan also assured strict adherence to the democratic ethos within and outside his party. "We will ensure dialogue at all levels. No decision would ever be taken in an authoritarian manner. And no leader of our party could assume that his designation will remain life-long," he claimed.

Earlier, Delhi CM Kejriwal appealed the gathering in Madurai to begin preparing for the next elections. The AAP chief said the people of Tamil Nadu would welcome Haasan with "an even greater mandate than what Delhi gave to AAP".

"Now people of Tamil Nadu don't need to choose between the two corrupt parties - AIADMK and DMK. You have a real alternative. If you want corruption vote for AIADMK, bu if you want quality education, give Kamal Haasan ji a chance. If you want liquor, vote for DMK. But if you want hospitals, give your vote to Makkal Needhi Mayyam," Kejriwal said.

"From the kind of energy I am sensing here in Madurai, I am sure Kamal Haasan ji will win with an AAP-like mandate in the next elections," he added, recalling the 2015 Delhi assembly poll victory of AAP, when the party bagged 67 out of 70 seats.

Haasan, on being asked later by a member of the gathering about his political ideology, said, "People say I'm a rationalist and a non-believer. And the word Makkal in my party name stands for centre. So, we will neither be left nor right. We will be at the centre."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 21, 2018 09:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).