Rajini to use unrecognised party for his political launch?

Rajini to use unrecognised party for his political launch?

Bharti.Jain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:  15.12.2020

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth may use an already registered but unrecognised party — Makkal Sevai Katchi — as his political launch vehicle to contest the Tamil Nadu assembly polls next year.

The party, which was originally registered by the Election Commission as Anaithindhia Makkal Shakthi Kazhagam but rechristened as ‘Makkal Sevai Katchi’ through an amended EC notification issued two-and-ahalf months back, may in all likelihood get to contest with ‘autorickshaw’ as its poll symbol.

TOI has learnt that the Election Commission has received an application from Makkal Sevai Katchi seeking allotment of a common poll symbol for candidates that it seeks to field in all 234 assembly seats of the state. The application mentions Rajinikanth’s name, even though it originates from a different person. The application lists ‘two finger’ pose, made famous by Rajinikanth in his 2002 film Baba, as its first preference for poll symbol, while ‘auto’, reminiscent of his 1995 blockbuster ‘Baashha’, is listed as the second preference.

The file is under process, said a source. TOI has, however, learnt that the EC is unlikely to grant Makkal Sevai Katchi the ‘two-finger’ poll symbol as it bears resemblance to the Congress’s ‘hand’ symbol.