The State unit of the BJP on Monday denied its involvement in actor Rajinikanth’s decision to enter politics but said that there was a convergence of ideas at various levels.
BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan told The Hindu , “I welcome Mr. Rajinikanth’s idea of spiritual politics. Gandhiji has said that we cannot separate religion and politics. Spiritual politics is also BJP’s politics. Tamil Nadu is a land where political leaders hide their religious identity to appear atheist.”
BJP national secretary H. Raja was enthused about Mr. Rajinikanth’s idea of spiritual politics, but said it was early to comment on his wider politics. “For the past 70 years, it has become fashionable to claim to be Periyarist....That anti-Hindu politics is becoming extinct now. So I welcome his declaration of a spirituality-based politics. It is refreshing to know that the Periyarist claim is not on his agenda,” he said.
The BJP also found other similarities between its ideas and those of Mr. Rajinikanth. “There is a natural coherence between our party’s idea of anti-corruption and his. He cannot go against the Central government because we have already moved towards eliminating corruption,” Dr. Soundararajan claimed.
‘No tie-up’
She, however, dismissed talks of an alliance with the actor and denied the BJP’s involvement in his political decision. Dr. Soundararajan said that she had tried to minimise her visibility during BJP MP Poonam Mahajan’s August 2017 meeting with Mr. Rajinikanth to avoid rumours.
Incidentally TNCC president Su. Thirunavukkarasar was among those who felt the actor may not be endorsing the BJP. “He has talked about politics without caste and religion. This is secular politics. This is what Mahatma Gandhi spoke about: ‘There is no politics without spirituality’,” the Congress leader told this newspaper.
Mr. Thirunavukksarasar insisted that Mr. Rajinikanth was a secular individual. “His main target is the Tamil Nadu Assembly; he knows the strength of the BJP in Tamil Nadu. As far as I know, nobody can influence him to do something. Also, nobody can stop him from doing something,” he said.
Mr. Rajinikanth’s one-time co-star Nagma, now the All India Mahila Congress general secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu, denied the BJP connection.
“I know Rajini sir very well. This is just a media speculation. He has not uttered a word about leaning towards the BJP,” she told a news channel.
Similarly, TMC president G.K. Vasan, whose father G.K. Moopanar was close to Mr. Rajinikanth, was supportive of the actor’s decision.
