Days after actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan announced that his political party 'Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM)' will unconditionally support the Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan in the upcoming Erode East bypolls in Tamil Nadu, a piece of information in the party's website has baffled the party cadres as it has said that MNM will merge with the Congress party. However, it later came to light that it was not factual and that the website was hacked. 

The party officially announced that the website was hacked on the evening of Friday - January 27. Earlier, there were speculations that when Kamal Haasan joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the latter's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Delhi, he would ally with Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. What had thrown weight behind such speculations was Kamal Haasan's announcement that his party will support and campaign for the Congress candidate in the DMK alliance in the Erode East bypoll. 

Aligning to these events, the website of the party pinned that MNM will join hands with the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Following the alleged hacking, the website read, "The year 2023 is going to be crucial for India because this is the year when we must make final preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha election - which is the final battle to save the soul of India. Shri Kamal Haasan was very impressed with Rahul Gandhi's intellect and commitment to save India and has been thinking his next moves ever since he returned after meeting the former Congress president." 

"We have taken a crucial decision today, a day after we celebrated our Republic Day. The general public and media are hereby informed that Makkal Needhi Maiam has decided to merge itself with Indian National Congress", the website further read. The information has sparked perplexion across and beyond the party and sometimes later, the information was not found in the website. 

Responding to the baffled information, MNM said that the website was hacked. Taking to Twitter, the party wrote, "The official website of Makkal Needhi Maiam has been hacked by miscreants who thrive on stifling the voice of Democracy ! Unruffled, we will react appropriately and continue to stand tall!." The response categorically cited that there has been no merger between MNM and the Congress party. 

On Wednesday - January 25, Kamal Haasan announced that his party would support the Congress candidate in the Erode East bypoll, that has been scheduled to be held on February 27. It is also the first time that Kamal Haasan has decided to forgo from contesting in an election since launching his political party. Kamal Haasan said, "MNM's Governing Council and Executive Committee has unanimously decided to extend support for Secular Progessive Alliance candidate EVKS Elangovan. I and my party will do everything for his victory."

Responding to a question on whether his support to the DMK alliance continue for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Kamal Haasan said that the current decision was taken in the wake of an emergency situation. By citing that he would campaign for Elangovan in the Erode East bypoll, Kamal Haasan said, "We have decided for the welfare of Tamil Nadu and not to allow opposing forces to benefit from it. This is a decision for the present situation. You cannot force us to decide for next year now." 

The Erode East bypoll was necessitated after the demise of Congress MLA Thirumahan Everaa, who died on January 4 at the age of 46 due to heart attack. Thirumahan Everaa was the great-grandson of Thanthai Periyar and the son of EVKS Elangovan, the current Congress candidate in the bypoll. Elangovan was a former Union Minister and a former chief of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee. 

The official website of Makkal Needhi Maiam has been hacked by miscreants who thrive on stifling the voice of Democracy !

Unruffled, we will react appropriately and continue to stand tall !

— Makkal Needhi Maiam | மக்கள் நீதி மய்யம் (@maiamofficial) January 27, 2023