CHENNAI: Will Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth work together for the ‘betterment’ of Tamil Nadu? Latest remarks by both the actors have created ripples in the political arena of the State. Will the duo coming together create a formidable force ahead of the 2021 State elections? Or will they divide the votes?
A believer in miracles, Rajinikanth feels voters will create magic in 2021. Kamal, for his part, clarified his stand on Wednesday. “If there is a need, we will come together for the betterment of Tamil Nadu.” Rajini, when asked who would be the Chief Ministerial candidate if he works with Kamal, said on Thursday: “A decision in this regard can be taken at the time of elections, depending upon situation.”
“Besides, it is also a decision to be taken in consultation with office bearers of my party. So, I don’t want to talk about it until then.” Rajini’s comments have evoked mixed reactions among his fans. “We want thalaivar to contest alone. We hope he would do so,” said an office bearer. “Alliance is important to win in Tamil Nadu elections. The aim of Kamal Haasan is also to work for the people of the State,” said another follower. “Our leader was careful, he only said he would join hands with Kamal if the ‘need arises’. We are not worried if Rajini wants to join hands with Kamal. He should not align with Dravidian or other parties.”
Veteran politician Thamizharuvi Manian, who is being consulted by Rajinikanth very often, does not attach much significance to this development. “I don’t want to give undue importance to this remark since there is a very long time for the next Assembly elections which will happen only in April 2021.”
Manian went on to say: “Please mark my words. Rajinikanth will launch his political party next year - i.e., 2020 and he will form his own political alliance. It is highly premature to talk about who will be part of that alliance in the present situation. Further, Rajinikanth will not lose his individuality at any time.”
Manian further said both actors meet at a single point —forming a government free of corruption and transparent in its functioning and to safeguard Tamil Nadu from the clutches of Dravidian political parties and that is all. Political analyst Tharasu Shyam feels that such a development is quite natural in politics.
“The actors’ readiness to work together indicate that they are becoming serious players in politics. If they remain non-serious players, they would not have ascertained this. Of course, politics makes strange bedfellows. In electoral politics, such compromises are common and are inevitable.”
How strong will that alliance be? “We can’t compare the political career of MG Ramachandran, J Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu and NT Rama Rao in Andhra Pradesh with these actors. At the most, these actors can cause fragmentation of votes. That is all.” Asked whether the morale of the fans of Rajinikanth would take a beating by this latest development since they were expecting him to launch his own party, Shyam said “I don’t think so..”
AIADMK spokesperson and former Minister S Gokula Indira has a different view. She says “Many things have happened in the past and both actors did not express their solidarity to resolve people’s issues then. But, now Rajini is expressing willingness to join hands with Kamal. It shows that the actor is afraid of entering politics alone.”