Chennai: Tamil film superstar Rajinikanth, who announced his intention to fight the 2021 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, on Friday sought to distance himself politically from BJP stating that attempts to smear the “BJP's saffron colour” on him would be in vain.
“There are many who are seeking to smear me with BJP's saffron colour, just as they did with (ancient Tamil poet-savant) Thiruvalluvar. Neither Thiruvalluvar nor I would fall into this trap of saffronisation,” he told journalists in Chennai.
Rajinikanth's clarification came in the wake of senior BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan meeting him recently and urging him to join the BJP. Incidentally, the State BJP is headless after its president Tamilisai Soundararajan was appointed Governor of Telangana. “There is no offer (from BJP).
Persistently some are trying to project me as BJP's face in Tamil Nadu. It won't succeed,” he said. The actor insisted that Tamil Nadu still lacks a leader with a calibre and he hopes to fill that political vacuum.
Asked about Rajinikanth's stance, political analyst 'Dhaadi' Mani said, “I see this as a political realisation by Rajinikanth that BJP is not a welcome force in Tamil Nadu, as seen by the outcome of the last Lok Sabha elections when AIADMK bit the dust after aligning with BJP.
Even in 2014, Modi could not open an account in the state. Therefore, Rajinikanth is seeking to chart his own political course. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that he is right-leaning.”
