Sunday saw a thaw in film actor Rajinikanth’s approach to the ruling AIADMK as the former welcomed the Chennai-Salem eight-lane expressway project which is being staunchly opposed by most of the major political outfits in the State. The actor who had declared his political dreams on the new year eve also supported the BJP’s “one nation, one poll” move claiming it would benefit all.
Speaking to reporters at Chennai, Rajinikanth, who is yet to formally announce the name of his political party, said the proposed Chennai-Salem expressway would bring in a lot of investment to the State. But he asked the Government to see to it that only minimum farmland is acquired for the project and the land owners are compensated to the extent that they are happy.
The land acquisition process underway for the project has given rise to resistance from the farmers in the Salem, Thiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri belt who allege that the government was taking over their fertile farm lands in the name of the expressway project. Rajinikanth refused to be drawn into any kind of controversy when asked about BJP national president Amit Shah’s recent comment that Tamil Nadu figured in the list of most corrupt States in the country. “You may please ask Shah about the same,” was his reply.
Rajinikanth, who remained non-committal to the question when would he launch the political party, said he was for the BJP’s one poll, one nation move. “This would help all political parties in the country as this is capable of saving lot of money and energy,” said Rajinikanth.
He also complimented the Tamil Nadu Government’s School Education System which he described as the best run department in the country. The actor also had a word of praise for School Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan.
Meanwhile Tamilaruvi Manian, former Congress leader who is described as Rajinikanth’s close aide expressed his reservation about the huge fluctuation in the Chennai-Salem expressway cost. “The Centre had informed that the project would cost Rs 7,000 crore while the Tamil Nadu government has increased it to Rs 10,000 crore. The State government should come out with the real facts behind the escalation in project cost,” said Manian while speaking to reporters at Coimbatore.