CHENNAI: Superstar Rajinikanth on Tuesday kept the guessing game alive, saying he will announce his decision on his entry into politics on December 31.
Addressing his fans at Raghavendra Mandapam at Kodambakkam on the first day of his meeting and photo op with fans, he said his knowledge about politics was the reason why he was treading carefully.
“I know the problems that come with politics,” he said claiming to know its “depths”.
He, however, did not disclose whether his possible political plunge would be an independent venture or on the back of another party. But he acknowledged the need to win at the first shot and the need for a “proper strategy”.
Being vocal about State politics as early as 1996, rumours of Rajinikanth’s entry into politics have being doing the rounds repeatedly and had only grown louder with the political plunge of colleagues like Kamal Haasan and Vishal in the last few months.
Rajinikanth will meet fans across the State in the run up to his big announcement on December 31. Just plain euphoria among his fans, each trying to grab the limelight, and a visible lack of coordination hinted that Team Rajini might find it hard to come up with a strategy in the next four days to convert the larger-than-life figure into an electorally marketable commodity.
Despite Rajinikanth’s clarification that Tuesday’s meet and greet event in Chennai was not his political entry, cries of “Naalaya mudhalvar” (future CM) rent the air. Fans and association leaders close to Rajinikanth, however, claim his entry into politics is confirmed and the big announcement is nothing but a formality.
On criticism from certain quarters over dragging his feet on the issue of entering politics, the actor stressed that months ago, he had clarified that he would make his decision known during “war”. Amid thunderous applause, the actor, clad in a white kurta, said: “War means only election. Has it come now?”
Subtle shift
On Oct 1, Rajinikanth said stardom, fame and money were not enough to succeed in politics. “It takes a little more... I don’t know what it is, but I think Kamal Haasan knows it,” he said, pulling his competitor’s leg. On Tuesday, he sounded more positive, saying he is strategising to win polls at the very first attempt