Rajinikanth had announced that he would launch his political party in January.
Chennai:
Superstar Rajinikanth announced Tuesday that he will not make his long-awaited political debut, after promising “a wonder and a miracle” in the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections.
“With extreme sadness, I say that I cannot enter politics. Only I know the pain I went through announcing this decision,” the 70-year-old movie star wrote in a letter in Tamil that she posted on Twitter.
“This decision of mine will disappoint my supporters and the people, but please forgive me. I will serve the people without getting into electoral politics,” he said.
– Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) December 29, 2020
Rajinikanth, who was released from a Hyderabad hospital on Sunday after being treated for fluctuations in blood pressure, cited his fragile health.
“My hospitalization was like a warning from God. My campaign will have an impact on health in the midst of the pandemic. I thank the officials for working with me,” Rajinikanth said.
He indicated that he did not want to sound chivalrous by saying that he will join politics despite serious health problems and that he did not want to “victimize” his followers now.
Earlier this month, Rajinikanth had announced that he will launch his political party in January, five months before the Tamil Nadu elections, and will bring “secular spiritual politics” without caste and religion.
The announcement put an end to years of speculation and followed consultations with senior officials at his forum, the Rajini Makkal Mandram.
A popular and respected movie star with a vast repertoire of films in Mumbai and the southern states, Rajinikanth enjoys an unrivaled following.
He and another actor-turned-politician, Kamal Haasan, are widely regarded as the X-factors in the Tamil Nadu elections in April-May.
This is the first election since the death of the two most powerful politicians in the state, J Jayalalithaa of AIADMK and MK Karunanidhi of DMK, which left a political vacuum in Tamil Nadu.
In 1996, Rajinikanth’s words were seen as the reason why Jayalalithaa and his AIADMK lost the election. “If Jayalalithaa is rejected, not even God can save Tamil Nadu,” he said.
His participation in the state elections is likely to affect the ruling AIADMK, which has an alliance with the BJP.
.
