Chennai: Tamil megastar Rajinikanth addressed the media at his Poes Garden residence in Chennai on Sunday, strongly dismissing speculations surrounding his recent meeting with former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. The veteran actor clarified that his visit to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader’s home following the state assembly election results was purely an act of friendship and possessed no political undercurrents. Expressing his disapproval of the narrative circulating on social media, Rajinikanth emphasized that he would never stoop to cheap tactics for political reasons, highlighting that his deep-rooted bond with Stalin spans nearly four decades and completely transcends regional politics. He admitted that he simply felt disheartened by his longtime friend’s electoral loss and wished to visit him as a supportive peer.
The legendary actor also flatly rejected rumours suggesting he was jealous of fellow actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s spectacular political ascent. Following the recent elections, Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, emerged as the single largest entity, leading to his appointment as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and ending decades of absolute dominance by the two traditional Dravidian parties. Rajinikanth noted the significant generation gap between them, stating that Vijay is his junior by twenty-five years, and explained that he had already extended his heartfelt congratulations to the young leader on social media immediately after the victory. He admitted to feeling a mixture of surprise and happiness at Vijay’s historic achievement at the age of fifty-two, praising him for independently defeating powerful rivals.
Reflecting on his own past opportunities, Rajinikanth remarked that if he had chosen to contest the 2021 Tamil Nadu legislative assembly elections, he believes he would have secured a victory. However, having permanently stepped away from active politics several years ago, he questioned why critics would assume he holds any resentment or envy towards the newly formed government. Addressing the broader political shift in the state, the megastar observed that the public has witnessed sixty years of governance under the DMK and the AIADMK, suggesting that a structural change might have been what the electorate desired. He urged observers to grant Vijay at least two years to fulfill the immense public expectations, reiterating his best wishes for the new administration while appealing to the public not to mistake personal gestures of friendship for political strategy.
