‘I’m not in politics, why should I be jealous of Vijay,’ says Rajinikanth on TVK’s Tamil Nadu win

On his post-election meeting with Stalin, the actor said, ‘Our friendship is beyond politics. In a democracy, winning and losing are common...I felt a little bad that Stalin lost.’

Actor Rajinikanth holds a press conference at his residence, in Chennai on 17 May 2026 | ANI

Chennai: Actor Rajinikanth Sunday clarified that his long-standing personal friendship with DMK chief M.K. Stalin goes beyond politics and dismissed speculation that he was unhappy with TVK founder C. Joseph Vijay’s victory in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu elections.

Addressing the media here, Rajinikanth said that he felt bad for Stalin’s loss in Kolathur and that TVK’s victory marked the end of the duopoly of the two major Dravidian parties. 

“I am responding to criticism because if I do not respond to them, they will become accepted as the truth,” he said.

Adding, “Rajini is not a cheap or low-standard person to speak unnecessarily about anything else. As soon as the chief minister [Vijay] won, I conveyed my congratulations to him immediately. I am not jealous of Vijay, there is a 28-year age gap between us. 

“Why would I be jealous of him becoming chief minister? I left politics years ago and he contested against two major parties in the state. Vijay has independently earned recognition by standing against the two major parties.”

The actor also dismissed speculation that he had a role in talks between DMK and AIADMK ahead of government formation. “Many allegations surfaced that I was trying to engage in bringing two major parties together to stop Vijay from becoming the Chief Minister. Rajinikanth is not someone who would engage in such conversations to do something this cheap,” he said.

Rajinikanth also said that TVK’s electoral success in its maiden election came as a surprise to him. 

On why he did not attend Vijay’s swearing-in, the actor said he had never attended any chief minister’s oath-taking ceremony in the past either.

While congratulating the new chief minister, Rajinikanth cautioned Vijay’s fans and TVK workers. “Whatever they do will ultimately affect Vijay.”

Rajinikanth’s meeting with Stalin after the DMK’s electoral setback had sparked intense online debate, with some accusing him of backchannel political involvement and dissatisfaction over Vijay’s success. 

Rajinikanth’s clarification appears to be an attempt to put an end to such speculation. 

This is an updated version of the report

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)