Rajinikanth’s comments about a ‘vacuum in Tamil Nadu’s political arena’ has ruffled feathers as both the major political parties of the state — the DMK and the AIADMK — made it a point to counter his claim. While the ruling AIADMK took the example of its recent wins in Assembly bye-polls to respond to Rajinikanth’s comments, the DMK emphasised that MK Stalin had already filled that empty space and that the actor was not aware of it.
Reacting hours after Rajinikanth told reporters that there was a space in the Tamil Nadu political sphere for a strong and right leader, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi Palaniswami responded to Rajinikanth’s statement, at a public speech in Vikravandi. “Where is the vacuum? Our candidate Muthamilselvan has won in Vikravandi by 45,000 votes, with the help of our allies. Is there a political vacuum? In Nanguneri, which has been labelled as Congress’s fort, our candidate Narayanan has won at a margin of 34,000 votes. Hence where is the vacuum? People have proved that there is no vacuum in Tamil Nadu politics in the recently concluded Assembly bye-polls,” he said on Friday evening.
Responding to Rajinikanth's statement DMK Treasurer Durai Murugan had also said that the vacuum has been filled by DMK President MK Stalin. “It has been long since our Thalapathy (Stalin) filled that space. If he (Rajinikanth) was in politics, he would have known this. Since he was in a long shooting schedule, he doesn’t know the state’s political status. If he enters direct politics, he will understand that MK Stalin has filled that vacuum in the political arena,” he told reporters on Friday.
The reactions from both major political parties in Tamil Nadu came in the wake of comments from actor Rajinikanth made earlier on Friday. Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Rajinikanth had answered a slew of questions regarding the Ayodhya verdict, economic status of the country, the Thiruvalluvar controversy and his plans of joining the BJP.