Wait till Dec 31: Rajini drops new political hint
CHENNAI: Actor Rajinikanth said on Tuesday he will announce his decision on his political debut on December 31, adding to the suspense whether he will fulfil his fans’ desire of seeing him in a new avatar in Tamil Nadu, where the death of former chief minister and AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa created a void.
CHENNAI: Actor Rajinikanth said on Tuesday he will announce his decision on his much-awaited political debut on December 31, adding to the suspense whether he will fulfil his fans’ desire of seeing him in a new avatar in Tamil Nadu, where the death of former chief minister and AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa created a void.
“There’s been so much speculation about my political entry. I am not saying I will definitely come into politics. I will announce my decision on December 31. I am not new to politics. I have been reluctant because I am aware of the losses one has to incur in this journey,” Rajinikanth said as he kicked off his sixday long fan meet.
“You need care and strategy to enter politics. When the time comes to step on the battlefield, you have to win. We need to fight to win or there’s no use of going to a battle,” he told his fans in Chennai amid a rousing response even though he kept his speech very short.
The 67-year-old actor will meet over 1,000 fans across 18 districts over the next five days. “I am excited to meet my fans. I had planned the meet in advance,” he said at the event, which saw directors Mahendran and Kalaignanam accompany him.
In Tamil Nadu, where film stars and personalities dominate politics, there is a tremendous interest on what the superstar, who enjoys a close rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will do when it came to politics. Buzz over his political debut peaks every time he meets his fans and addresses them.
Speculations that Rajnikanth and actor Kamal Haasan would step into the political arena swirled after Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016.
Rajnikanth hinted as much in May when he met fans after a gap of few years and Haasan said in November he was ready to take the plunge.
“God decides what we have to do in life at every phase. Right now, he wants me to be an actor and I am fulfilling my responsibility. If god willing, I will enter politics tomorrow,” Rajinikanth had said sparking off speculations of his imminent entry.
He also mentioned his brief stint in politics when he supported the DMK in the 1996 assembly elections ,“Supporting a political alliance 21 years ago was a mistake. My name was misused by a lot of politicians and some of them even earned money using my name. My support is for no party,” he added.
His announcement comes after the RK Nagar bypoll — the constituency represented by Jay al al it ha a—saw a shock defeat of the AIADMK on Sunday.