TAMIL NADU: RAJINI AT THE READY
The superstar adds a dash of self-determination masala to bolster his popular appeal ahead of the ‘big move’
Since Rajinikanth declared his decision to engage with the people through “spiritual politics” on New Year’s Eve, the Tamil superstar has been quietly revamping the Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM)—his fawning fan club—to launch a huge campaign on social media ahead of a promised outreach featuring every street and habitation in Tamil Nadu.
In a strategy distinct from those of earlier film actors who strayed into politics in the state, legions of Rajinikanth fans are already organising enthusiastic supporters under the RMM banner. It is widely expected that he will field candidates in all the 234 assembly constituencies in the Tamil Nadu elections due in 2021.
The actor is encouraging local groups to elect their own executive councils in preparation for a final political offensive when he gives the call. In fact, zealous RMM men have mapped out over half the state’s rural and urban constituencies in anticipation of Thalaivar’s (leader’s) ‘big move’. The RMM has already enrolled some 2.1 million new members. District councils comprising 10-member executive committees are in place and some 65,000 branch secretaries have been identified to head branch committees, each with 30 members who will be responsible for individual polling booths. The plan, RMM functionaries say, is to saturate Tamil Nadu.
Given the widespread perceptions of a leadership vacuum in the big Dravidian parties—especially the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)—Rajinikanth and his followers hope to wean off a sizeable chunk of their traditional support base by the time Rajinikanth formally announces the launch of his party sometime in the coming months.
Film producer Raju Mahalingam, who has been appointed state secretary of the RMM, says, “People all over the state, especially women and youth, are warming to the notion of a charismatic leader as chief minister.” Mahalingam is confident that “Thalaivar can bring
RAJINIKANTH IS EVIDENTLY KEEN TO DOWNPLAY THE PERCEPTION THAT HE IS ‘BJP-DRIVEN’
in change for the good of the Tamil people.” But not all political analysts are in thrall. His critics dismiss Rajini’s approach as akin to seeking a pre-release guarantee for one of his movies.
Although, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) ideologue S. Gurumurthy has endorsed the superstar’s “well-advised brand of spiritual politics”. He believes it could be the “game changer, striking away from the Dravidian, anti-Hindu line, which has become outdated as well as counterproductive given Tamil Nadu’s increasingly pervasive religiosity”. The RMM’s strategy in Tamil Nadu—organisationbuilding and appointing boothlevel committees—seems to mimic the BJP’s highly successful
campaigns in Uttar Pradesh in 2014 and 2017.
However, Rajinikanth is evidently keen to downplay the perception that he’s ‘BJP-driven’. Just a month after the big splash announcement of his political aspirations, he modified the RMM logo to exclude the ‘lotus’ and ‘serpent’. This, his supporters say, was to ensure that his brand of ‘spiritual politics’ doesn’t alienate non-Hindus. The earlier logo, they say, was inspired by the actor’s belief in the Ramakrishna Mission and Swami Vivekananda [and not by the BJP or the RSS].
Clearly, superstar Rajinikanth wants no stumbling blocks in his journey from being an influential opinion-maker to a political challenger in Tamil Nadu.