If I enter politics -- Rajinikanth leaves the question hanging

Chennai: Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, as is customary prior to the release of his film, deliberately threw hints about a possible political entry but
made it clear that he would not support those who tried to make money from politics, and asked his fans not be disappointed if he
did not enter politics.

Such vague hints had been made earlier by him in the past including the audio launch of Linga film. Rajinikanth was addressing
members of his fans' association from Karur, Dindigul and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu, ostensibly to give them an
opportunity to take a pic with him. This exercise would be on for another four days in Chennai.

Rajinikanth clarified that at the moment he was just an actor and was not for a political career but it was left to providence to decide
on what he should be later.

“It (joining politics) is in God’s hands. He wants me to be an actor now, I am now an actor. If he wants me to be something else, I
will play that part as well. Please don’t get disappointed if I don’t come (to politics).”

“Some fans have written to me, asking when they would get a chance to become MLAs and ministers, travel in fancy cars and buy
two or three houses. Reading such letters, I don’t know whether to get angry or laugh at it,” Rajinikanth said. “But, if there is a
situation where I do enter politics, let me state it clearly that I will not associate with those who want to make money through
politics,” Rajiikanth  added.

At the same time, realising the criticism that he talked about a possible political entry ahead of his film release, Rajinikanth himself
denied this. “Thanks to my fans, I have never had to do something like that to ensure my film does well. People can’t be fooled like
this. Only if the film is good, it will be successful,” Rajinikanth said.

Addressing his fans, Rajinikanth said the talk about his role in politics kept cropping up due to a “political accident” before the 1996
Assembly elections when he spoke against then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa (he stated that even God cannot save Tamil Nadu if
Jayalalithaa came back to power). “I am not a great political leader or a social activist. Nobody is waiting for my support,” Rajinikanth told his fans.

“Because of certain circumstances, I had to support an electoral alliance and people also supported that alliance and it won in 1996
assembly elections. Since then, my name has been associated with politics and some of my fans also got involved in politics willingly
in 1998. Politicians used them and several of my fans also made good money. They were like cats that tasted good food,”  
Rajinikanth pointed out.

“In successive elections, some of my fans approached politicians saying that I have supported them and politicians also sought the
support of my fans. This is why I am forced to state that I am not supporting any party every time there is an election,” Rajinikanth  
added.

On backing out from the Sri Lanka trip to launch homes for displaced Tamils, Rajinikanth said, “When I backed out of the Sri Lanka
trip and postponed the fans meet earlier, the media said that Rajini has a wavering mind. Only after I entered the pond, I realised it
was full of crocodiles. It would not be intelligent to keep the leg inside knowing the pond is full of crocodiles.”

BJP State leader Tamiliasai Soundararajan was guarded in her response to Rajinikanth's speech. The BJP, which has been hoping that
Rajinikanth would join the BJP and support it in the elections, was disappointed that Rajinikanth did not declare his support for BHP
or that he would align with it. Tamilisai said the BJP had always wanted Rajinikanth to enter politics but said pointed out that there
were limits to what an individual could do, and would need an organisation (like the BJP, she hinted).

DMK Working President M K Stalin too said he would welcome Rajinikanth's political entry.