Congratulating actor-turned neta Vijay on the grand success of his party’s first political conference, south Indian superstar Rajinikanth, however, refrained from commenting on the criticism of the DMK as corrupt and the BJP as communal.
At the first state conference of his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Vijay had launched a frontal attack on the ruling DMK in the state terming it as corrupt and the political enemy and describing the BJP as the ideological enemy. This had invited a fierce backlash with the DMK and its allies as well as the saffron parivar pouncing on the actor.
“Definitely, the conference was a huge success and I congratulate him for that,” he told reporters after greeting fans who had gathered in front of his residence at the upmarket Poes Garden area of Chennai.
Playing it safe, he parried questions on the politics of Vijay. Coming as it is from Rajinikanth, who had earlier entertained political ambitions but took political sanyas in July 2021, citing his frail health and the Covid pandemic, will not go unnoticed in political circles.
Vijay had also announced that his party, confident of securing a mandate, was prepared for alliances and would share power with the allies. Significantly, he had avoided any criticism of the opposition AIADMK.
This was Rajinikanth’s first public appearance after being discharged from hospital where he was treated for heart ailment on October 4. The 73-year-old matinee icon, ‘Thalaivar’ for his ardent fans, did not disappoint them. They had been waiting at the gates since early in the morning to have a glimpse of their icon. This is a usual one on Diwali and on his birthday.