Indian film star Rajinikanth ends political campaign over health issue



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Indian superstar Rajinikanth (center) during a press conference in front of his residence in Chennai on December 3 (AP photo)

CHENNAI: Indian film superstar Rajinikanth on Tuesday canceled his plans to enter politics, saying a health problem had been “a warning from God.”

The announcement came a day after the 70-year-old Tamil action hero left the hospital where he was treated for high blood pressure.

Rajinikanth, one of Asia’s highest-paid actors, sparked celebrations from his fans when he announced in early December that he would launch a political party in a bid to bring a “corruption-free” government to his home state of Tamil Nadu.

But the bus driver-turned-actor said he couldn’t follow through in a lengthy letter posted on his Twitter account.

Rajinikanth, who has had several health problems, said her recent concerns had been a “warning from God.”

“I am sorry to let you know that I am not going to launch a political party.

“I will serve the people in any way I can, without getting into electoral politics,” he wrote in the letter in Tamil.

Rajinikanth said he did not want to start such an important campaign and then leave it half finished.

Rajinikanth said in 2017 that he wanted to enter politics, but then left his fans waiting until this month when he said his party would bring “honest and transparent” politics to Tamil Nadu.

The actor showed his political strength in 1996 when he asked fans to oppose the Tamil Nadu government, which was later ousted from power.

Rajinikanth has continued his film career despite his health problems and had been filming his last movie in Hyderabad when he fell ill last week.

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