Before joining the BJP, Arjuna Murthy had ties to the DMK and the first party family.
When Rajinikanth addressed his first press meeting, minutes after announcing on Twitter that he would take the political step and officially launch his party in January 2021, he introduced a man to the media as the main coordinator of his party. To Rajinikanth’s right was Arjuna Murthy, a man who is not well known in Tamil Nadu political circles, and whose presence took many by surprise, including those close to the superstar.
Until a day ago, Arjuna Murthy headed the BJP brain cell in Tamil Nadu, a position he resigned from Thursday. A man known to be close to RSS, he was active in the BJP state forums even now, and seeing him alongside Rajinikanth took many by surprise.
“He was speaking on the forums every day, it was surprising to see him with Rajinikanth. He used to tell us that he is close to Rajinikanth and talks to him every day. However, none of us thought that he would leave the party. In fact, I thought Rajinikanth would have someone from AIADMK or DMK with him, but instead, he has a BJP member, ”a BJP state leader told TNM. The leader added that Arjuna Murthy used to insist over and over again that the ‘DMK should be over’ in Tamil Nadu.
Before joining the BJP, Arjuna Murthy was with the DMK and also has family ties to the first DMK family (through marriage). The rumor in political circles is that he was close to a late DMK leader and later parted ways with the party, while some sources confirmed it, others denied it.
Originally from the Dindigul district, his father moved to the Pudukkottai district and Murthy built small businesses. Professionally, Murthy is a technocrat and entrepreneur with a background in finance, commerce, manufacturing, and technology. Together with his daughter, Murthy founded Yeldi Softcom Private Limited in Chennai.
Sources tell TNM that he is S Gurumurthy’s recommendation to Rajinikanth. Gurumurthy, who is a Chartered Accountant and one of the members of the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India, is believed to be advising Rajinikanth on all matters related to his political downfall.
From left to right: Arjuna Murthy, Rajinikanth, Tamizharuvi Manian
While at BJP, he was seen participating in the highly publicized Vel Yatra party in Palani and was also one of the people who met Amit Shah during his last visit. He is a close confidant of the President of BJP Tamil Nadu, L Murugan.
Murthy is not known for being a politician with strong electoral experience. Those who know his political beliefs say that he is intellectually and spiritually compatible with Rajinikanth’s political vision. Murthy has also described himself as a nationalist, just as Rajinikanth has in the past. Sources told TNM that he was awarded an important position as his personality will not overshadow that of the superstar and he can provide smooth management.
In addition to being the lead coordinator, Murthy’s team will also be in charge of social media and other digital platforms for Rajinikanth and his political party, as well as providing technical assistance. With his experience, he is also expected to connect with Rajinikanth political party sponsors and companies.
Annamalai IPS was also Rajinikanth’s choice
Although it is not clear when Rajinikanth decided that it would be Arjuna Murthy who will assist his friend and confidant Tamilaruvi Manian, multiple sources confirmed that the actor had spoken more than once with Annamalai IPS. The former IPS officer, who resigned from the services, had recently joined the BJP. “However, Annamalai is considering a long-term plan and joining Rajinikanth’s party may not work for him. Furthermore, he seems to have conveyed to Rajinikanth that he wants to be part of national politics and not the state, ”a source told TNM.
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