The iconic star’s new aspirations are now clear. Can he repeat his film magicIJ
Now that superstar Rajinikanth has strongly hinted at joining politics, his fans would be waiting for the moment with the same, nearly insane excitement that they do for the release of his new film. But there will be more people too, besides his fans or supporters, who are anxiously watching what the iconic actor's next move would be. True. Rajinikanth has said that he would be a politician if god has destined him to be, but then he has also played the popularity card by stating that his fans would be hugely disappointed if he didn't become one. So, god's will can always be invoked in case the superstar has made up his mind. It is unclear whether, in case he takes the plunge, he will be as much of a monumental success as he has been on celluloid. But he can take heart from recent history. Both MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa were products of films, and so is M Karunanidhi. The three have left an indelible mark on Tamil Nadu’s politics. At the very least, Rajinikanth will have the same sort of head start these others had, and it will be on him to make a success of the venture. But we mustn't also forget film stars who initially made a splash and later fizzled out — in Andhra Pradesh, for instance. Nonetheless, Rajinikanth's massive following is unique and this is the reason why political parties in Tamil Nadu are keenly observing his next step. While it is not certain whether the superstar will float a new outfit or team up with an existing one, what we can be sure of is that he will not back the DMK. He recently admitted to having made a “big mistake” in supporting the DMK two decades ago for the State Assembly election. Not surprisingly, MK Stalin, DMK's de facto chief, is wary of Rajinikanth's political aspirations as the latter could end up occupying at least part of the space being vacated by MGR’s party.
The ruling AIADMK, struggling to keep afloat in the wake of a two-way divide which shows no signs of being bridged, could be severely hit if the popular actor enters the political arena. With its two charismatic leaders, MGR and Jayalalithaa, gone, the AIADMK would find it too great a challenge to counter Rajinikanth's pull. This is assuming that the superstar does not extend his active support to the party's one faction or the other. The Bharatiya Janata Party is watching the developments with interest, though with a show of aloofness. During the 2014 lok Sabha election, Rajinikanth had expressed his admiration for Narendra Modi after the latter paid him a visit during a trip to the State, but did not issue any appeal in the BJP's favour. The party does not have a leader of substance in Tamil Nadu and is, therefore, unable to seize upon the situation there. Will Rajinikanth obligeIJ It's too early to guess which way the actor will go. Theoretically, he can form a new party and align with an existing one to begin with it, and thereafter take his political career forward. let's wait and watch.