RAJINI TAKES POLITICAL PLUNGE, TO FLOAT PARTY
By declaring that he will launch his own party, Thalaivar has put the ruling AIADMK and its arch rival DMK on notice
CHENNAI: Tamil film superstar Rajinikanth announced on Sunday that he will launch a political party, ending months of speculation about his future, prompting a series of congratulatory messages from some of India’ s biggest celebrities, and sending his fans across Tamil Na du into a celebratory frenzy.
The 67-year-old, who had last week promised a“big announcement” on December 31, said his party would contest the next assembly polls in the state and field candidates for all 234 seats.
“I am joining politics forsure,” he said amid thunderous applause at a packed Sr iR ag havendra Kalyana Manda pa min Chennai. Quoting a shloka from the Bhagwad Gita that stresses the importance of doing one’s duty and leaving the rest to God, he added: “It is the compulsion of time.”
Tamil Na du has along history of members of its film industry turning to politics. Three of the state’s longest-serving chief ministers over the last 60 years – M Karunanidhi, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa – made the transition from films to administration.
CHENNAI: For sure, in quick succession within a week of each other, two disruptive forces threaten to alter the political landscape in Tamil Nadu.
If last week rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran wrested Jayalalithaa’s legacy with a win in the seat held by her, the Sunday morning release of the political blockbuster by superstar Rajinikanth promises to be the other disrupter — in both cases the principal opposition party being the intended or unintended target.
With Thalaiva’s declaration of intent to join politics, his keenness to contest all the 234 assembly seats on his own with a promise of corruption-free and transparent government and governance, Rajinikanth has put the ruling AIADMK and state government on notice.
It remains to be seen if Rajinikanth, with diehard fans across the state and around the world, 800 registered fan associations and many more unregistered ones, is able to erect a political party that can take on AIADMK and DMK, both of which have had their own share of image damages recently. Corruption is a common thread between both the Dravidian parties.
When Rajinikanth spoke about corruption eating up governance in the state, he had AIADMK and the state government, led by E Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam, in mind.
The loss of AIADMK in the RK Nagar bypoll is embarrassing for it, but more damaging for the DMK which was positioning self to be the government in waiting.
It is in this setting that Rajinikanth announced his intention to enter politics, sending his fans into delirium. Rajinikanth can play a spoilsport and upset the DMK applecart by weaning away at least 10% of the vote share, something that another film star-turned-politician — Vijayakanth (Karuppur MGR) — notched up but later squandered away.
Rajinikanth’s entry will also blow away smaller parties and if Kamal Haasan also formally enters the fray, that would add another dimension to state politics with two battles side by side — AIADMK versus DMK and Rajinikanth versus Haasan.
More significantly, Rajinikanth’s could have a bearing on national politics as he is perceived to be more amenable to tie up, either formally or informally, with BJP in general elections to Lok Sabha.
His popularity and Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s mass appeal can become a formidable force.