Makkal Needhi Maiam president and actor Kamal Haasan Tuesday appealed to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to "rise above politics" and extend support to the people affected by Cyclone Gaja in Tamil Nadu.

Haasan wrote to the chief minister, saying Cyclone Gaja has caused "widespread damage and destruction to life and property" in the Cauvery delta and coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. He said his party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), has urged the Kerala government and its people to come forward and assist in a way they deem fit to help Tamil Nadu "stand up on its feet again."