Rajinikanth Likely To Launch Political Party In April

Chennai: Tamil icon, superstar-turned-politician Rajinikanth is likely to announce the launch of his political party in April this year, according to media reports. For a long time now, there has been speculation that Rajinikanth would launch his own political outfit. It was in 2017 that Rajinikanth had indicated that he would join politics and the superstar kept deferring his decision.

Elections to the Tamil Nadu state assembly are scheduled to be held in May 2021. It is widely being speculated that Rajinikanth is in talks with other regional leaders in Tamil Nadu to join him ahead of the launch of his political party.

The Tamil icon was in the news recently for his statement about Periyar, which came in for criticism by a number of Tamil groups including DMK, the ruling AIADMK and others. Rajinikanth referred to a rally led by Periyar in 1972 in Salem in which objectionable pictures of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita were taken out.

Tamil groups staged protests in front of the superstar's house seeking an apology and withdrawal of his remarks against Periyar, but Rajinikanth remained firm claiming that he had only stated facts. He also showed press clippings to substantiate his claim.

The BJP backed Rajinikanth saying that he did not say anything false. BJP MP Subramanian Swamy further said that he recalled the 1972 Salem incident. He added that Cho Ramasawamy's 'Thuglak' was the only magazine to have published news of the rally led by Periyar in Salem.