India / Over 1k Rajinikanth supporters gather in Chennai, demand his political entry

Chennai: Over 1,000 supporters gathered at Valluvar Kottam on Sunday morning although Rajini Makkal Mandram leaders warned them against holding or joining the demonstration.

Rajinikanth’s fans launched a rally in Chennai on Sunday, 10 January, demanding that the superstar join politics as earlier promised. The demonstration at Valluvar Kottam comes despite the actor giving a detailed explanation about the risks to his health if he contracted coronavirus and apologising to his supporters for withdrawing from the electoral race.

Over 1,000 people took part in the protest, although Rajini Makkal Mandram's office-bearer Sudhakar warned members against taking part in any kind of demonstration. All 38 district secretaries of the actor’s outfit Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) had also put out a notice, instructing its members to stay away from the protests. The supporters began gathering as early as 7 am on Sunday and according to reports, the number are increasing by the hour.

The rally is underway despite the actor making it clear that his health will not cooperate with the efforts required to participate in electoral politics. 

In a long letter to his supporters on December 29, he had expressed his inability to venture out and campaign during the pandemic. The actor had said that meeting lakhs of people during the pandemic would prove to be risky and given that the virus keeps changing its form, even a vaccine will not be sufficient to protect him.

“Even if the vaccine comes, if something happens to my health since I take immunosuppressants, then people who have trusted me and joined me will have to face several difficulties mentally and financially. Just because people will question me after I gave my word on my entry into politics, I don’t prefer to sacrifice my allies and friends. Forgive me because this decision will cause disappointment to those in Rajini Makkal Mandram and those who expected that I will enter politics.”

He thanked Tamilaruvi Manian and Arjunamoorthy, whom he had appointed as office-bearers ahead of the shoot of his film, Annatthe, and maintained that he will continue to serve people without entering politics.

The actor's announcement came after he was hospitalised in Hyderabad after suffering from severe hypertension and exhaustion. He was discharged two days later on December 27 but he was advised by doctors to not strain himself and to avoid stress. He was further told to abstain from activities that would put him at risk of contracting COVID-19.

If not for the health warning, the actor was supposed to launch his party this month and give clarity to supporters on the electoral fight for the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The protests in Chennai now show that the actor's fans and members of Rajini Makkal Mandram are unwilling to accept his decision to stay away from electoral politics.