Will Rajnikanth float his own political party?

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Will Rajnikanth float his own political party?

Chennai - The superstar is surely testing the waters

By C P Surendran

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Published: Wed 24 May 2017, 11:07 AM

Last updated: Wed 24 May 2017, 1:14 PM

Last week, Rajnikanth - "Super Star Rajni Saar"- made a speech to his fans in Chennai. He said, "the system" needs to be changed, and that his fans must be ready for "war", when he issues the call.
Rajnikanth has been meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi off and on. Recently, Modi visited the star at his Chennai residence. BJP President Amit Shah has welcomed the star's speech. Rajnikanth himself has shown right wing inclinations. He is 67 years old, and may no longer be able to perform in films with the same vigour and style, no matter what the special effects are.
All which points to the option that he may join politics. Tamil Nadu in any case has a tradition of film stars and screen writers joining politics and becoming chief ministers. These include MG Ramachandran, Karunanidhi  and Jayalalitha. 
The inside information is that Rajnikanth is likely to float his own party with the support of the BJP. In that event, Tamil Nadu's bipolar Dravidian politics represented by Karunanidhi-led DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and the late Jayalalitha-led AIAMDK (All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) would change drastically.
"Rajnikanth has maintained contact with the BJP for a long time now. I think he is now testing the waters," said BJP leader from Tamil Nadu and a Member of Parliament, L Ganesan.
At present, the lead players in Tamil Nadu politics are DMK working president MK Stalin, Jayalalitha loyalist O Panneerselvam and chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. The last two have been heading the two rival AIADMK factions after the death of Jayalalitha.
According to media experts, "Rajnikanth is unlikely to join BJP as he may lose his individual identity".  His fans run into millions and he is one of the most recognized faces in Tamil Nadu. It is not likely that he would sacrifice all that for a BJP ticket.
Rajnikanth has famously said years ago that "even God cannot save Tamil Nadu if Jayalalitha is voted to power". But later he made amends and became a friend of Jayalalitha, and had distanced himself from politics.
Amit Shah said on Sunday, the choice of party and time of entry were for Rajnikanth to decide. But he welcomed the star into politics. On Monday, the BJP made an offer to Rajnikanth to join the party, but he was too diplomatic to say yes or no.
The BJP has so far been a minor player in a state dominated by regional parties. The party is looking to expand its influence by filling a political vacuum created by the death of former chief minister Jayalalitha. That is a position Rajnikanth can easily fill. 
In an interview to CNN-News18, Union minister Nitin Gadkari reacted: "Rajnikanth is welcome to politics and it's my request to him to think of BJP as an option."


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