Rajini and politics
Rajini and
Politics.
Yesterday(29.12.2020) Rajini had at last expressed
his inability to jump into the political arena and stated that he had given up
his intention to start a political party citing health reasons thus putting an
end to the intense speculation and political calculations that followed soon
after his announcement on 3rd Dec.2020 that he would announce the
date of starting a political party on 31st Dec.2020.
Looking back one can trace Rajini’s political aspirations
to the year 1996 when he first proclaimed soon after the release of his much acclaimed
film Basha that even God cannot save Tamil Nadu if Ms. Jayalalithaa the then Chief
Minister was reelected thereby underlying the rampant corruption during her
regime. At that time he was backed by Mr. G.K.Moopanar who started his own political
party Tamil Manila Congress after breaking away the Indian National Congress
which was in alliance with the DMK. Rajini’s proclamation had its effect. Ms.
Jayalalithaa was routed in the polls. Thereafter in 1998 during the Lok Sabha
polls he once again raised his voice. This time against the PMK which had said
that Rajini was spoiling the youth by showing scenes of his smoking in his
films. Rajini then called upon his fans to defeat PMK in the six Lok sabha
seats it contested. Unfortunately his call did not have the desired effect. PMK
won all the six seats. Thereafter he fell silent and did not give out his
political views but saw to it that there were punchy political lines in the
films he acted. At times during some
public cause like the Cauvery issue he would participate in the agitation but
at no time did he enter directly into politics.
In the years 2007/2008 he had a health set
back. Subsequently he had a renal transplant. Despite this he always silently
nourished political ambitions but did not directly enter into politics because
Tamil Nadu had two political stalwarts Ms.Jayalalithaa and M. Karunanidhi. By
2017 both these stalwarts had disappeared from the political scene. Ms. Jayalalithaa
died in Dec.2016 and subsequently Mr. Karunanidhi.
This emboldened actors like Kamal Hassan and
Rajini to directly indulge in politics. Kamal Hassan started his own party
Makkal Needhi Maiyam. But Rajini was dithering. During the end of 2017 Rajini
expressed his intention to plunge into politics and stated that he would
contest all the 234 Assembly seats during Assembly elections in 2021 though
will not contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. He also changed the name of
his Fan club as Rajini Makkal Mandram. Everyone was eagerly waiting for Rajini
to start his political party. By the end of November 2020, he called the
District Secretaries of the Rajini Makkal Mandram for a meeting. There he
expressed that his health condition would not permit his entry into politics.
Everyone though disappointed were unanimous that his health was of paramount
importance to them. But On Dec.3 2020 he did a U turn. He expressed his
intention to start a political party and
said the date of its launch would be announced by him on 31st
Dec.2020. He also introduced to the press his advisors Mr. Arjuna Murthy and
Mr. Thamizharuvi Manian who would look into the formalities that were needed for
launching a political party. Everyone was surprised by this announcement but were
very happy. Suddenly on 29.12.2020 he again did a U turn stating that he had
given up his intention to start a political party but would some how serve the
people of Tamil Nadu.
This announcement of his has been a rude jolt
to his fans who were eagerly waiting for the launch of his political party. It
has also upset the political calculations of the BJP which was hoping for a
foot hold in Tamil Nadu Assembly with an alliance with his political party.
Some political commentators were expressing their views that the Assembly
elections would be a fight between Rajini’s party and DMK. That the people of
Tamil Nadu would have a option other than the two Dravidian parties.
His strong critics say that for him only his
business interests matter. His films were produced by Lyka productions which
had leanings with the Prime Minister Rajapaksha of Sri Lanka. The recent film
which he is acting is produced by Kalanidhi Maran of the DMK family. In the
circumstances it would be difficult for his to oppose the DMK given his
business interests. So he chose a safer route stating that his health factors
and pandemic had forbidden him from launching a political party.
Whatever may be the case his non starting a
political party had made the political scene in Tamil Nadu interesting. Let us
all wait and watch.
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