Rajini does a U-turn, cancels entry into politics citing health
CHENNAI: Making a U-turn on his political plunge, superstar Rajinikanth on Tuesday announced that he will not join politics and start a party as announced earlier, citing his frail health. He had first announced in 2017, after years of speculation, that he would indeed enter politics ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and field candidates from all 234 seats in the state.
The veteran announced earlier this month that he will launch his political party in January and disclose the specifics by December 31.
The top star, promising his brand of spiritual politics, had then dramatically asserted that he was even ready to risk his life for the sake of people’s welfare by making a foray into politics.
Discharged from a Hyderabad hospital on Sunday after being treated for blood pressure fluctuations, the top actor expressed fears over those accompanying him in his possible political journey facing “mental and economic” problems in the due course over his possible health issues.
After earlier acknowledging reports of him undergoing renal transplant in 2016, he recalled the hospitalisation for blood pressure fluctuation and said it could affect his kidney.
He indicated that he did not want to sound chivalrous by saying he will join politics despite his severe health concerns and that he did not want to “make a victim” of his supporters now.
“Therefore, I inform with great regret I am unable to come to politics by floating a political party. Only I know the pain behind making this announcement,” the 70 year-old actor said in a statement, days after declaring he will float his own outfit in January and face the polls. He, however said he will serve people in whatever ways he can without entering electoral politics. In the detailed statement, he recalled four of the crew members of his current venture ‘Annatthe’ testing positive for coronavirus despite safety measures put in place and pointed out he had tested negative for the contagion.
He had participated in the shoot, involving about 120 people, despite doctors advising him against it, he said. “Clinically, there should not be any fluctuation in my blood pressure as it would severely affect my alternate kidney and therefore I was under medical observation for three days,” he said.