What will Rajinikanth’s politics look like?

Jaya Menon & D GovardanTNN
Dec 4, 2020 | 15:29 IST

Rajini has announced his entry, but the script will not be in his hands for all cadres are fans, but all fans may not be cadres

In 1973, when M G Ramachandran rebelled against M Karunanidhi and formed ADMK, he took with him a chunk of the DMK’s frontline leaders and grassroot workers. But his fan clubs, the Mandrams, named after his films ‘Urimai Kural’ and ‘Naalai Namadhe’ formed the backbone of his new party. Three years later, ADMK swept the 1977 assembly election. Will actor Rajinikanth, who will turn 70 soon, repeat the MGR magic? Or even replicate the success of N T Rama Rao, who floated Telugu Desam in 1982 and defeated the Congress within a year?

The actor’s fans, friends and associates are confident that Rajinikanth’s yet-to-be-named new party would storm the Dravidian arena and sweep the April 2021 assembly election. But that’s easier said than done as it is a David versus Goliath battle. With barely five months to go for the election, Rajini and his band of ‘rasigars’ are pitted against the two Dravidian giants, the ruling AIADMK and the DMK, who have been preparing for the 2021 election ever since the outcome of the last one.
/india
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