On Tuesday, Rajinikanth shocked his fans, followers and those who had been expecting a big political announcement from him. The superstar’s announcement bowing out of electoral politics, put an end to a three-decade long speculation of ‘will he won’t he’, amply fanned by Rajini’s team and fans during every movie release.
In a statement, the superstar said that his health condition does not permit him to engage in election campaigning on the ground and meet people in person. Rajinikanth’s move, just two days before December 31, when he was expected to reveal details about his party, has led to many theories. While there is no ambiguity that health complications led Rajinikanth to take the tough call, there are many reasons that cemented the decision.
During his meeting with members of the Rajini Makkal Mandram in December, Rajinikanth told those gathered that if they were taking the political plunge, they need to be sure it will be a successful attempt and not a failure. Requesting anonymity, a senior journalist who has tracked Rajinikanth for many years told TNM that his character of wanting to taste success in everything could have been a reason why he backed out of electoral politics.
"It is understandable that the BJP and the RSS were behind Rajinikanth and were pressuring him to launch his political party. But his statements, like the one where he said that some forces are trying to paint him saffron, show that he was trying hard to come out of that image. That was not happening. And unlike Kamal Haasan, he could not find advisors beyond those who are with the BJP," the journalist explains.
Adding that the superstar always wanted to be successful, the journalist says that politics is a space where one has to face criticisms every minute. "People coming into politics have to be tolerant towards the filth that's being thrown at them. Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa were able to tolerate all of it and go beyond that. Rajinikanth cannot accept such attacks against him. Secondly, he always had problems with taking decisions. He had opportunities in the last 25 years to launch himself politically. He didn't do it," she says, acknowledging that his health has also added to the existing issues now.
With Rajini positioning himself as against the two Dravidian parties, the possible option before him was to create a third front. But the success of such a front is doubtful in the current political scenario in Tamil Nadu, moreover Rajinikanth has limited resources and the party structure was not finalised.
Rajinikanth's ambition to be known as a 'successful politician' from the word go might have eventually led him to take a step back.
When Rajinikanth announced that he will launch his political party in January 2021, he appointed Ra Arjunamurthy and Thamilaruvi Manian as leaders who will supervise the party’s launch. While Thamilaruvi Manian is a known lieutenant of the superstar, Arjuna Murthy’s presence in the crucial press meet raised eyebrows as he was heading the BJP’s Intellectual Wing till then. While Rajini’s association with the Co-convenor of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, which is affiliated to the RSS and Tughlaq editor Gurumurthy is known, observers hardly expected the actor to bring in someone from the BJP to organise his own party.
Senior journalist ‘Tharasu’ Shyam says that there could have been disagreements between BJP and the Rajinikanth, and with the pandemic posing a threat to his health, he may have decided to shelve his plans.
"He had his kidney transplant years ago and it is normal for transplant patients to have fluctuating blood pressure. He announced his political party knowing this. My hunch is that BJP and Rajinikanth might have had a fall out in the expectations and demands and hence Rajinikanth took this step," he says.
Adding that Rajinikanth might have communicated to the BJP about his decision in the last two days, Shyam says this may have prompted Tamil Nadu BJP president L Murugan to say that the party's alliance with the AIADMK remains intact.
"BJP is a very minor partner in Tamil Nadu. They cannot dictate terms here. AIADMK's tone in regard to the BJP has been quite rude in the recent past. BJP was talking loudly believing in the Rajini card but now that it is gone, L Murugan has softened the party's stance against the AIADMK," he adds.
In a discussion on NDTV, N Ram, Director of The Hindu Publishing Group noted that Rajinikanth was under immense pressure to launch his party, but the actor’s decision to go against this pressure was commendable.
Shyam points out that hundreds of Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) functionaries would have spent lakhs in doing social service, hoping for some recognition once Rajinikanth launches his party. “Doing social service costs money. What will happen to all those people who have worked hard behind the curtains now?” he questions.
On the political front, the AIADMK, MNM and BJP have already asked Rajinikanth to endorse them. But will the superstar want to do that?