Newly-appointed Tamil Nadu Congress chief E.V.K.S Elangovan on Thursday said actor Rajinikanth should not enter politics.
“Rajinikanth should not come to politics at all. This is my opinion. He has fans in all political parties. He is widely respected by the Tamil Nadu people,” Mr. Elangovan told PTI.
The actor, who came out in support of erstwhile Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) floated by G.K. Vasan’s father G.K. Moopanar in 1996, should not confine himself to a small circle, he said.
Mr. Elangovan, however, added, “All citizens who are committed to secularism, including Rajinikanth, are welcome to join Congress.”
Mr. Vasan, who broke away from the Congress last week to chart his own course in the State, too has reportedly sought the support of the actor, whose backing to the TMC at the height of anti-AIADMK campaign on the corruption plank helped it emerge victor in the 1996 elections in alliance with DMK.
When Moopanar founded the TMC in 1996 after quitting Congress, Mr. Rajinikanth had appealed to the people to vote for the DMK and its allies including the Tamil Maanila Congress by saying that, “even God cannot save Tamil Nadu if Jayalalithaa is voted back to power”.
Since then, there has been speculation and demands from political parties urging him to join their respective outfits.
Asked if he would try to align with DMDK in the 2016 Assembly polls, the TNCC chief said, “He (Vijayakant) is a good friend of mine and the DMDK chief too has a lot of respect for Congress party leaders.”
