Will Dhanush join AIADMK? Senior leader welcomes actor with 'open arms'

Just days after Tamil actor Dhanush’s official fan club was rebranded as the ‘Dhanush Narpani Iyakkam’ (Dhanush Welfare Movement), speculations are rife that the star could join the AIADMK.

The restructuring of the fan club, which mimics how current Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay renamed his fan club into All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam in 2009, a first step towards politics, has added fuel to the rumours that his entry into politics could be in the offing. However, no official information has been released regarding this.

However, the latest statement made by AIADMK leader and former Minister Rajendra Balaji has fuelled rumours that the actor might choose the party.

During a consultative meeting with party executives held at the Virudhunagar West District AIADMK headquarters in Sivakasi on the occasion of the party’s 55th anniversary, Balaji spoke about the current political situation in Tamil Nadu and actor Dhanush’s political entry.

To this, he replied: "AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami has a vast capacity to embrace and integrate anyone who comes to serve the party. If they are contributors to the development of the movement, Edappadi Palaniswami will take them in. Actor Dhanush is a leading figure who can make a great impact among the youth. If such a famous actor joins the AIADMK, we will welcome him with open arms."

Balaji added that Dhanush’s political entry was just a rumour at this point. “Only time will tell whether it is true or not," he said.

Dhanush is yet to state anything about his political ambitions. However, Dhanush Fan Club head Subramaniam Siva said the rebranding was to expand the organisation’s public-service activities. “The members had been encouraged to undertake initiatives such as restoring ponds, repairing roads and addressing neighbourhood issues, in addition to their existing welfare activities. The fans club has been organising blood donation drives,” he said.