Rajinikanth puts onus on people to launch 'movement', political plans still hazy

Superstar Rajinikanth has once again disappointed his fans, supporters, sympathisers

Rajinikanth pti Rajnikanth addresses a press conference in Chennai | PTI

Superstar Rajinikanth has once again disappointed his fans, supporters and sympathisers. In a press conference at Hotel Leela Palace in Chennai on Thursday, Rajinikanth failed to make any categorical commitment towards finally taking a political plunge. Putting the onus on the people to launch a “movement” for a political change for him to take the plunge, Rajinikanth only said, "I will not be the chief minister."

So who will be the chief minister if he doesn't want to be? Rajinikanth, however, did not name anyone but only said he would want his followers and fans also to give up the lust for power. Calling for a political revolution in the state and across India, Rajinikanth took no questions from the media.

"A people's revolution is needed to overthrow the two political giants, DMK and AIADMK, in Tamil Nadu. That movement for a change should be visible across the state," he said.

Stating that a political revolution should happen, "Why should I come to politics if I can't bring about a major change in Tamil Nadu politics? I am not interested in coming to politics only to be a vote splitter and score 15 or 20 per cent votes," Rajinikanth declared. He also outlined three ideas—no chief minister's post, not too many posts and newcomers as lawmakers—and asked people to launch a movement.

Apparently, Rajinikanth's proposal of giving up the chief minister post and calling for a movement or a revolution by people does not cut into the existing political narrative in the state, which, of course, was not expected by his fans who have been waiting since 1996 for him to enter politics.

"I never said I will come into politics since 1996. I talked about me getting into politics only in 2017," Rajinikanth clarified. However, this still has not given clarity on whether he will launch his political party as predicted and fill the “leadership vacuum”, which he himself said in 2018. Rajinikanth's characteristic indecisiveness, however, remains, thus delaying a concrete decision on taking the active political plunge.

His statement saying that he will have to fight the two big political majors in Tamil Nadu—AIADMK and DMK—shows Rajinkanth's reluctance and the second thoughts in standing against the two Dravidian parties. Rajinikanth indicated his inability to fight the DMK and AIADMK, saying that AIADMK has made big money by way of corruption and the DMK has been out of power for 10 years with a lust for power. "Stalin wants to prove his legacy. I will have to fight these biggies if I come in."

In 2017, when Rajinikanth said that he will definitely come into politics, both AIADMK and DMK were existing. According to the political observers and onlookers, Rajinikanth's statements only mean that he is still in a dilemma to take the active political plunge.

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