Rajinikanth's political entry is as dramatic as his on-screen ones

Can Thalaivar encash his fan base?

 

After decades of speculation, Rajinikanth announced on New Year’s Eve that he was finally going to enter politics. Addressing thousands of fans in Chennai, the superstar — considered a demi-god or superhuman by many of his admirers — declared that he would form a political party and contest the state Assembly elections. About the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said he would take a call later. Rajini later told journalists: “I, too, want to create a political revolution. If there is a change now, future generations will live better.” Those speculating about whether Rajini’s political foray would be a dud, can take a break for now: A website launched by him on January 1 garnered millions of hits within hours and at least 300,000 registrations.

Also read : Amid Political Hype, Rajinikanth And Kamal Haasan To Share Dais In Malaysia

Rajini, of course, has been an influence to reckon with in Tamil politics since the mid-1990s. In 1996, he extended vocal support to the coalition of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC), helping them — according to some political pundits — win the Assembly elections. Notably, the TMC had used a bicycle as their political symbols and many of their posters had the iconic picture of Rajini on a cycle from his 1992 blockbuster Annamalai. His fans have only been too eager to see him enter the political arena and work his magic; some of them even started a political party in 2006, in a bid him take the plunge. Rajini had then desisted.

Of course, in south India, especially Tamil Nadu, cinema and politics have been twined since Independence. MGR, NTR, Jayalalithaa have all served as chief ministers and played a major part even in national politics. Rajini’s entry follows this tradition, where superstars and political leaders are given a larger-than-life status by their fans and supporters. While informing his fans about his intention to enter politics, Rajini reiterated the rhetoric of cleaning up the political landscape that is more than familiar to all of us now. “There is need for a political change,” he said. “In the name of democracy, political parties… are looting people.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, too, had promised similar clean-up acts before coming to power.

Read more about : Rajnikanth in politics

AIIMS hands over Jayalalithaa's medical report to Tamil Nadu govt

The move assumes significance in the backdrop of doubts being raised from different quarters

The AIIMS on Monday handed over the medical report by its doctors of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa to the state government.

The report contains the analysis of Jayalalithaa health condition by the doctors of the premier institute during their five visits to Chennai.

#LATEST | AIIMS Deputy Director (Administration) V Srinivas said that the state government had on Sunday sought the visit notes of the delegation for its official records.

The move assumes significance in the backdrop of doubts being raised from different quarters over the former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief's death on December 5.

Srinivas handed over the papers to the Principal Secretary of Health of Tamil Nadu, Dr J Radhakrishnan, here on Monday.

"On the request of the Tamil Nadu government for expert medical advise, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) had deployed a team of senior specialists to visit Chennai five times between October 5 and December 6, 2016.

"The team was led by Dr G C Khilnani, Professor in the department of pulmonology," Srinivas said.

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The Sasikala gameplan for guilty verdict: Quickly nominate a new CM for TN

AIADMK's strategy is to dissuade the governor from inviting Panneerselvam to take a floor test

 

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a trial court order finding All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary VK Sasikala guilty in an illegal wealth case that dates back two decades. The verdict, which will mean Sasikala going back to jail and being debarred from public office for nearly a decade, upends political calculations at a time when she is caught in a tussle with interim chief minister O Panneerselvam for control of the party and the government.

A bench of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Amatava Roy upheld the trial court judgment in which Sasikala and the late Jayalalithaa were found guilty of amassing over Rs 63 crores in assets disproportionate to their known sources of income during the latter’s tenure as chief minister between 1991 and 1996. The proceedings against Jayalalithaa would be abated because of her death on December 5. BREAKING NEWS 

In 2014, a trial court in Bengaluru – where the proceedings were moved on the Supreme Court’s orders – had found Jayalalithaa and Sasikala guilty along with the latter’s relatives Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran, and sentenced them to four years imprisonment. The conviction had forced Jayalalithaa to step down as chief minister under rules disqualifying convicted politicians from holding office or contesting elections. But the following year, the Karnataka High Court had acquitted all of them. The Karnataka government, which is the prosecutor in the case, had appealed in the Supreme Court, which will decide Sasikala’s fate at 10.30 am on Tuesday.

Officials of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam told Scroll.in that strategies “for all possible scenarios” had been put in place before the verdict. Sasikala spent the night at the Golden Bay Resorts in Kancheepuram, where 128 MLAs owing allegiance to her have been staying for the past five days. Panneerselvam – who had stepped down as chief minister to make way for Sasikala on February 5, only to rebel against her two days later – has alleged that the MLAs are being held there against their will. He has also said he was coerced into resigning and has challenged Sasikala’s election as leader of the AIADMK’s legislative party by petitioning the governor, Vidyasagar Rao. Since then, at least eight MLAs and 11 parliamentarians have shifted to the Panneerselvam faction.

The plan for a potential conviction on Tuesday – making her ineligible to become chief minister – was to have the MLAs on her side elect a new leader of the legislative party nominated by her. Senior leader KA Sengotaiyan has emerged as the frontrunner in such a scenario.

Sasikala’s plans

Sensing the growing support for Panneerselvam in the party, Sasikala made an emotional appeal to MLAs on Sunday, blaming misogyny in Tamil Nadu politics for the attacks on her. Dragging the Union government into the mess indirectly, she said there were forces out to destroy the AIADMK. “But let me assure you, from Chennai to Delhi, there is no one capable of shaking this party,” she said, adding that Panneerselvam was working in collusion with the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

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