COIMBATORE: Their thalaivar may have called it quits, but that has not deterred fans of actor Rajinikanth from carrying on with his mission to ‘change the system’. Shattered at Rajinikanth’s decision not to enter politics, several members of Rajini Makkal Mandram joined main political parties while a few others waited for the chance turn to contest elections.
P Jayaprakash, aka Rajini Chinna, is one such hard core fan of the actor who will be the testing his luck in The Nilgiris district. The 53-year-old autorickshaw driver is contesting in Gudalur and will be facing candidates from AIADMK, DMK, and DMDK. Like other fans, Jayaprakash was eager to see Rajinikanth in active politics, but was disappointed after the actor’s decision. Pulling himself up, he decided to contest and set things right. His nomination to contest from Gudalur has been accepted.
He said 40 per cent of the total 1.80 lakh voters in the constituency are drivers and mechanics and that they have assured support to him. “I am contesting on behalf of Tamilaga Makkal Thannurimai Katchi, a registered party in alliance with an unregistered All India Motor Employees Party. I have started going door-to-door to distribute pamphlets and listen to people’s grievances,” said Jayaprakash who is also the Gudalur town secretary of Rajini Makkal Mandram.
“All major political parties make big promises ahead of polls, but fail to implement them when elected. There are umpteen issues in Gudalur such as irregular drinking water supply, traffic congestion, limited bus service. I will address these if selected,” Jayaprakash said. Further, his manifesto includes promises to add more beds in the Siddha section of Government Gudalur Hospital, and constructing check dams.
Jayaprakash is confident of a good show and hopes that his activities like distributing grocery kits and ferrying pregnant mothers from Gudalur GH free of cost during the lockdown last year would hold him in good stead.