Shrewd Tamil ‘Superstar” Rajnikant, who chose to opt out to test political waters in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, may take a final call to form a political party very so.
“I will let you know after May 23, he told a group of journalists, who met him on Friday to enquire about his future plans in state politics.
He put on hold his proposal to form a political party reasons best known to him after forming “Rajini Makkal Mandram”, Perhaps, his decision not to enter Lok Sabha polls or contest the bypolls to 22 assembly constituencies, forms part of his strategy to see how his fellow actor Kamal Haasan’s party is going to fare against two established Dravidian parties – the DMK and AIADMK.
The DMK is fighting the LS polls joining the Congress-led UPA alliance, while the ruling AIADMK the BJP-led NDA.
On Friday, Rajnikanth promised to float a party before next assembly elections. Although, the scheduled assembly polls are slated in 2021, yet the ruling AIADMK fate hangs in balance since the outcome of 22 assembly bypolls going to decide its fate.
When one of the journo asked, will you stick to your promise, he responded saying “whenever the assembly elections are held, I assure you that my party will be ready to face people’s test. I shall field candidates in all 234 assembly seats.”
To another question, whether his decision would be based on the outcome of bypolls to 18 assembly segments held on Thursday along with 38 Lok Sabha seats, the actor response was in affirmative.
Of the total 22 vacant assembly segments, 18 of them have already gone in the second phase on April 19. And, the rest to go in fourth phase.
In the 234-member House, the K Palaniswami government has 113 MLAs, excluding the Speaker. It needs a simple majority of 117 to continue.
Hence, all eyes are on the outcome of the bypolls, as a loss to AIADMK could as well lead to his government’s fall. Unless he win at least half a dozen, it would be difficult of AIADMK to survive in office.
It may recall that the superstar in December 2017 had announced that he would take the political plunge and contest the next assembly polls.
Since he has already committed to enter state politics, speculations are rife that he may as well convert his ‘Rajini Makkal Mandram’, a forum he formed, as a political party once the results are out on May 23.
To another pertinent question, on possibility of Narendra Modi getting a second term, he said it will be known only after May 23.