Kamal Haasan the legendary actor turned politician floated his political party Makkal Needhi Maiam in 2018 and contested for the first time in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021. The party fared poorly in all the constituencies except a few with Kamal himself losing by a margin of just under 2000 votes in South Coimbatore.

The Makkal Needhi Maiam ever since the election results has witnessed many of its top functionaries such as Vice President R. Mahendran, Santhosh Babu general secretary – headquarters, Padmapriya, A G Maurya, Thangavel, Umadevi, Sekar, Suresh Iyer and C.K. Kumaravel have quit the party. Most of them have stated that Kamal's autocratic style of functioning and lack of democracy inside the party as reason for their exodus.

Political analysts during various television debates have opined that Kamal will soon quit politics and predicting that the Makkal Needhi Maiam will also be dissolved eventually. The Ulaganayagan has released a new video in his inimitable style clearly spelling out his future plans and also a strong message to those who have left the party.

Kamal has made it clear that the election loss has not deterred him and that he will continue to serve in politics till his last breath and the Makkal Needhi Maiam will also exist till politics exists in the world. He made it clear that those who left the party did so not because of him but because their expectations were commercial and so his style did not suit them. He warned that some may return eventually but should not be allowed to contaminate the purity of the party

Kamal promised that he is in the process of revamping the Makkal Needhi Maiam which will reemerge once again with much better infrastructure. He emphasized that the party's clarity in its vision and honesty in its stride will lead it to heights in the future.