Chennai: Ending months of speculation, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, who floated his outfit Rajini Makkal Mandram as a precursor to launching a political party, Sunday made it clear he would neither contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls nor support any party.
He appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu to vote for a party who they believe would be able to bring a permanent solution to the water crisis in the state.
“I am not supporting anyone and no one should use my picture or outfit’s flag for political campaign purposes,” he said
“Rajini Makkal Mandram has no support to any party in the upcoming Parliamentary elections. No one should use my photograph or the flags of the Rajini Makkal Mandram for campaigning,” the actor said in a statement.
Rajinikanth, who turned 69 in December 2018, had announced his political entry on December 31, 2017 while interacting with his fans here.
He had then said his to-be-launched political party will contest in all the 234 assembly segments in Tamil Nadu during the next polls, due in 2021.
Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi earlier told ThePrint that the launch of Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan’s party last year and Rajinikanth’s potential entry into politics seems to have “more impact on journalists in Delhi than in Tamil Nadu politics”.
“I cannot predict what the polls will say. Rajinikanth has not announced the launch of his party till now, and we are just a month or two away from the Parliament elections. I really don’t know what his plans are. And on Kamal Haasan, let’s see,” she said.
However, Kanimozhi did not rule out the possibility of the DMK forging an alliance with Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam.
“I cannot really say anything about it. It depends on what the situation then is and what leaders of the party want,” she said.
The DMK has made its decision to ally with the Congress very clear and there is no ambiguity, but the parties are yet to take a decision on seat-sharing.
“I don’t think any decision has been taken. Formal talks have not started. I think that is for the leadership of the parties to decide. It is a little too early,” Kanimozhi said. -PTI
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