Putting to rest speculation about his political aspirations, Tamil Nadu superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday bid adieu to year 2017 by declaring that he would soon launch a political party.

“I will soon start a political party. It will be launched before the next Assembly election. Till then, I request my fans not to speak politics or not to speak ill of any political party,” said Rajinikanth. He was addressing his fans and well-wishers, who had thronged the Raghavendra Auditorium in Chennai where the superstar has been meeting them individually for the last five days.

Tamil Nadu is all set to move over from the rationalist and atheist politics of the Dravidian brand to one with spiritual and religious flavour. While addressing his fans, Rajinikanth said he stood for spiritual politics and he would lead a spiritual party.

He gave reasons behind the launching of a political outfit for which there are no dearth in Tamil Nadu. “Every party that gets into power has been looting the country. Politics has become very tainted. Democracy has become battered. Political happenings in Tamil Nadu have made us hang our heads in shame. We need politics devoid of caste and religion. We need spiritual politics,” declared the numero uno icon of Tamil film industry.   

But Rajinikanth had set a series of cautions and warnings to his prospective colleagues in his political party, the name and programmes of which would be declared shortly by the actor. “I don’t want cadres. I want saviours who will not work for themselves        Continued on Page 4

TN politics to taste Rajini’s ‘spiritual’ flavour

 but question the mistakes and wrongdoings. I will be a representative, who will watch over this,” said Rajinikanth. He also declared that his party would contest in all the 234 Assembly constituencies in the next Assembly election.

He began his speech by making it clear that he was not after money or fame. “The politics in Tamil Nadu is rotten. Events of the last one year have spoiled the image of Tamil Nadu,” said Rajinikanth.

While veteran political commentators like N Kalyanasundaram welcomed the announcement by Rajinikanth, the Dravidian honchos were sceptical of the move by the actor. “Rajinikanth’s entry into politics would not have any bearing on us. It is for him to prove his mettle,” said TKS Elangovan MP, spokesman of the DMK. The AIADMK leaders too were cautious in their response. “He has announced that he would enter politics. It is not going to make any impact on the AIADMK,” said D Jayakumar, Tamil Nadu Minister for Fisheries and senior AIADMK leader.

Kalyanasundaram, who has been following Tamil Nadu politics since 1963 as a scribe and commentator, was of the view that the announcement by the actor was a welcome change. “The AIADMK has reached its end purely because of infighting. The DMK which has been hopping to hoist Stalin in the saddle of power is now facing a second huddle, the first one being the announcement of party formation by Kamal Haasan. Whether Rajini and Kamal would join together on issues common to both their ideologies or fight individually remains to be seen. It is very clear now the appearance of Rajinikanth with a party flag in Tamil Nadu horizon will darken the prospects of all other political entities, more specifically the aspiring DMK,” said Kalyanasundaram.

While the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, struggling to get a foothold in the State, welcomed the announcement stating that the party would join hands with the actor for the 2019 lok Sabha election, Subramanian Swamy MP and senior BJP leader said the actor’s party would have ‘zero impact’ in Tamil Nadu. “He does not have any vision, ideology and programmes. He has announced the launching of his party and is silent about other issues,” said Swamy.