Chennai: Asserting that he was entering politics only to fill a leadership vacuum in the state, Superstar Rajinikanth on Monday declared that his intention would be to give a pro-poor people friendly government just as MGR had done. “Yes, I am going to provide a government that will do good for the people”, he declared.
In his strongest and most direct political speech, Rajinikanth replied to the politicians criticising the entry of film stars to politics, with the words, “We are forced to enter politics, because you politicians have failed to do your job.” His carping remark was greeted with wild cheers by the huge audience at the MGR Medical University owned by MGR loyalist A.C. Shanmugam, former MP and MLA of the AIADMK. The audience comprised of not just students but many Rajinkanth's fans.
Rajinikanth unveiled a statue at the university and his road trip to the venue was marked by large enthusiastic fans and supporters greeting him along the 15 km route, bringing traffic to a standstill. The grand spectacle could be dubbed a teaser to the star's actual political launch. The road show, the crowds en route, the welcoming banners and fans from neighbouring districts culminating in that massive audience at the college venue resembled a virtual political conference.
But the most important observation the superstar made was that he indeed was stepping in to fill the political vacuum caused by the absence of two strong leaders - Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi who had dominated the state's polity. “There is a need for strong political leadership, strong leaders and I am here to provide that because others have failed to do so,” he said amidst thunderous roars.
They became an issue too with Chennaiites taking to twitter to point out that such welcoming features made it no different from the days of banners and cutouts hailing MGR and then Jayalalithaa and members of the DMK family.
Twitter exploded with comments on the banners and hoardings adorning the roads of Chennai even as the chief justice had stern things to say of inaction by the authorities after the high court had ruled that all illegal banners and hoardings had to come down ‘at once’. Rajini fans spoke defensively of the need for their leader to achieve the same reach as the great matinee idols who went on to become netas.Kamal Haasan took a swipe at his 'friend' but potential political rival when he said that “change must come from within” in referring to the banners and hoardings peppering public space. Talk may be about change as Rajini is also poised to enter the political space in Tamil Nadu but it is unlikely that things will change at once at a fundamental level.
Tamil Nadu's hero worship of cinema stars is a deep-rooted phenomenon. It may not have been sighted when Kamal made a splashy entry into politics a fortnight ago. But Rajini is different. Like MGR, he is perceived to be a 'liberator' who will take his flock to the land of the promised change. Kamal might be a versatile actor. But when it comes to projections as a politician, he may not be able to match Rajinikanth's charisma, which makes him a leader, a neta in a larger sense. What we saw on Monday were the first signs of this wave of interest in an emerging leader.
Seeing the crowd that surged towards the vehicle carrying Rajini to the venue and the traffic snarl around the venue that lasted a couple of hours, a conclusion is easy to arrive at and that is about Monday having started a wave around ‘Neta Rajini’. In Tamil, it is a more illustrative word - Thalaivar. And he spoke like one as he broke the shackles and said why he can never be another MGR. If the people wished to interpret that as a message that he will try to give governance like MGR, they are not to be considered foolish. They sensed it already from the tone and tenor of his very political speech.
