Rajini’s political drama is now KHATAM KHATAM!

Rajini’s political drama is now KHATAM KHATAM!

There was the promise of a miracle, a now-or-never resolve to change everything. But the script that Rajini said he would set out to write ended before it could begin. His statement said it all — Rajini’s political journey is over, in the words of Baba “mudinjadu mudinju pochu”

Superstar’s Exit To Help AIADMK, DMK, Upset BJP Plans

Jaya.Menon@timesgroup.com

In 1996, when actor Rajinikanth’s powerful one-liner – ‘even God can’t save Tamil Nadu if Jayalalithaa returns to power’ – hit the high notes ahead of the assembly election, the political party that benefited the most was the DMK. Twenty-four years later, ahead of another assembly election, the DMK is rejoicing again, and the AIADMK is sighing in relief.

The DMK was worried that Rajinikanth would take away a chunk of votes that would otherwise have come to it because of the anti-incumbency factor. The AIADMK, meanwhile, is happy that it would now be able to negotiate with the allies, especially the BJP, from a stronger position.

For the DMK, Rajini’s entry may have meant reworking its poll strategy and arithmetic. On December 3, when Rajinikanth tweeted that he would launch his political party in January after an announcement on December 31, it set off a scramble among parties to revise their strategies. “The DMK decided not to react until the actor tossed his hat in the ring,” said a senior party leader. When DMK president M K Stalin was asked to comment, he merely said, “Let Rajinikanth launch his party first.” There has not been a mention of Rajini since. “It was a conscious strategy to generate the perception that the DMK did not care,” said the leader.

For chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Rajini’s participation in politics would have meant a return of personality politics. Trying to emerge from J Jayalalithaa’s shadows, Rajini’s celluloid charisma may have proved disconcerting for the ‘farmer-common man’ CM candidate. But Palaniswami, too, put on an appearance of nonchalance. “Let him first register his party, I’ll comment then,” he had said.

For the AIADMK, Rajini’s dalliance with spiritual politics may have led to significant erosion of the Hindu vote base that they share. But for the ruling party, it would now be easier at the negotiating table when potential allies, the BJP, PMK and the DMDK sit to talk seat-sharing. Within the party too, senior leaders could have played power politics using Rajini as a bait.

The BJP, which has been plotting a longterm plan to breach the Dravidian fort with Rajini as an interim disruptor, must be the most disappointed with the turn of events. It had spent months, even years, hoping to persuade Rajinikanth to take the political plunge, so it could ride piggyback, if not ride along with the star. The TN poll arena would once again see a straight fight between the DMK and the AIADMK.

FLIPS AND FLOPS

1995 | “Bomb culture is spreading in Tamil Nadu”, this was Rajinikanth’s first political statement, referring to a crude bomb blast near Mani Ratnam’s residence, at the silver jubilee function of ‘Baasha’

1996 | “Even God cannot save Tamil Nadu if Jayalalithaa returns to power.” DMK and TMC, a breakaway faction of Congress, swept the Lok Sabha and assembly polls. J Jayalalithaa herself was defeated

2002 | Promised to develop a people’s movement to interlink rivers. Later, termed J Jayalalithaa as ‘dhairya Lakshmi’ at a felicitation function

2004 | Pledged support for BJP indirectly by letting in camera crew of television news channels when he was casting his vote Kept away from politics for a while. During every election, a statement was issued on his behalf asking political parties not to use his name or image to seek votes

Dec 31, 2017 | Made his first official statement about entering politics. “I will launch my party in time for the next assembly elections and put up candidates in all 234 seats. I will practise spiritual politics, which is above caste, creed and religion.”

Mar 2018 | Spoke about giving MGR’s rule. “I am not MGR. But I can give a propoor rule like MGR,” he said, while addressing students of a private university .

Mar 2020 | “I want to see an uprising and wave for a change from people. I will come to politics then. It is not easy to take on AIADMK and DMK, with their established base and money bags. I will not be the CM. Will guide from behind.”

Dec 3, 2020 | “I will launch my political party in January. An announcement will be made on December 31, 2020.”

Dec 29, 2020 | “I will not be able to launch a party to enter electoral politics. Only I know the pain behind this announcement.”

AIADMK and DMK had played down Rajini’s call to enter politics, with both parties saying the actor needed to float an outfit first