Will launch political party in January, tweets Rajinikanth; says announcement on Dec 31 – india news

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Thursday said on Twitter that he will launch his political party in January next year, adding that announcement about it wil be made on December 31.

Assembly elections are due in Tamil Nadu next year.

He had met the district secretaries of ‘Rajini Makkal Mandram’ – a political extension of his fan club – on Monday and deliberated the possibility of his political foray.

“They (functionaries) told me that they are with me whatever may be my decision. I will make known by decision (on political foray) as soon as possible,” he had said after the meeting.

Fans thronged the meeting location and his residence cheering for him as the next chief minister. Rajinikanth reportedly spoke to about 1.5 hours at the meeting.

“Most of the office bearers wanted him to contest in the 2021 assembly elections but we also wanted him to take care of his health,” said Thoothukudi district secretary A J Stalin.

In October, Rajinikanth had for the first time disclosed that he had undergone a kidney transplant in 2016 in the United States and that the doctors were against him venturing into politics in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rajinikanth had first announced his decision of entering politics in December 2017 but he had not taken any concrete steps to build his party. In March 2020, Rajinikanth said that he would head his party but he wanted someone educated to be the chief minister candidate. However, the only certainty that Rajinikanth has maintained in his political plans is that his politics would be spiritual.

On the other hand, Rajinikanth’s contemporary in films and politics, Kamal Hassan, who floated Makkal Needhi Maiam (People’s Justice Party) contested in the 2019 parliamentary elections, and is preparing to put up candidates for the 234 assembly seats. Hassan had said that he will not align with any of the Dravidians parties.

(With inputs from agencies)