Rajinikanth has said his party would contest from all seats in Tamil Nadu in the next assembly elections.
Highlights
- Will decide on 2019 elections once dates are announced: Rajinikanth
- Superstar had announced his political foray on last day of last year
- Had declared he would contest next Tamil Nadu elections due in 2021
Actor-politician Rajinikanth has promised to be a part in the 2021 elections, but about 2019, he is keeping his cards close. The decision will be taken once the elections are announced -- but "we are ready for anything," he said.
On the last day of last year, the 67-year-old announced that he would take a
plunge into politics. The decision has exhilarated fans, who had been waiting for years for the Thalaiva (boss) to play the hero in a different field.
At the time,
Rajinikanth had said his party would contest from all seats in Tamil Nadu in the next assembly elections. The decision to contest the 2019 parliamentary elections will be taken at an appropriate time, he had said.
Nearly five months down the line, his answer is clearer. "The decision for contesting elections in 2019 will be taken at the time when the elections are announced," Rajinikanth told reporters. "The party is not yet launched, but we are ready for anything".
There was also an afterthought: "It is too early to talk about any kind of alliance," he added.
Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth are seen to be aspiring to fill a leadership vacuum in Tamil Nadu politics.
The question of alliance has been cropping up ever since the superstar of Tamil cinema indicated that he was considering a change in career. One of the first to raise the issue was his fellow actor-politician
Kamal Haasan. Talking about the prospects of an alliance with Rajinikanth, Mr Haasan said it would be "unlikely if his colour is saffron".
Rajinikanth's assertion that he would opt for "spiritual politics" has fueled speculation about a right-leaning outfit, despite the superstar's explanation that all he meant was politics based on "honesty and truthfulness".
Rajinikanth has repeatedly tried to scotch the speculation. In March, after returning from a two-week spiritual tour, he said, "People keep saying the BJP is behind me. That is not true. Only God and the people are behind me".
The actor is yet to give a date for the launch of his party - although he did say that speculation about Tamil New Year, April 14, being the D-Day was completely off the mark. Quizzed by reporters about a possible date, he had said, "I myself do not know".