Recent events suggest Rajinikanth might be joining BJP

Speculations are on the rise that the biggest superstar in the country and the superstar of South Indian cinema, Rajinikanth is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. According to sources, Rajinikanth has held several meetings in the recent days with senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in Delhi. Within a short span of five days the Tamil superstar has held as many as seven meetings with senior BJP leaders according to sources. His newly formed party Rajini Makkal Mandram is looking forward to contest elections in all the 234 assembly constituencies of Tamil Nadu in 2021 assembly elections. If Rajinikanth decides to join the BJP it could prove to be exactly the booster which the national party needs in southern India. The Thalaiva’s popularity is not just restricted to Tamil Nadu but extends to the other neighbouring states in the south as well. His image of a clean and austere person will follow him in politics and will greatly improve the performance of BJP in southern states in the Lok Sabha 2019 elections as well. The two prominent parties in Tamil Nadu, DMK and AIADMK have been embroiled in a dirty tug of war between them for long.

The death of former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Karunanidhi had once again refreshed the memories of the public about the dirty political scene in the state. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam which is in power in the state too lacks a solid leader post the demise of Jayalalithaa had led to infighting in the ruling party in Tamil Nadu. While Rajinikanth on his own is more than enough to bring out the people from the shackles of DMK and AIADMK politics, him joining the BJP would make the execution process even swifter and more decisive. BJP too had been planning its own strategy in the south by planning to field popular actor Mohanlal from the Thiruvananthapuram seat in Lok Sabha elections against the incumbent Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

The inclusion of Rajinikanth in the BJP would mean an increased acceptance of the party in southern states and will also make the opposition sit up and take notice. The no-nonsense image which Rajinikanth is known for was shown by him while visiting the injured people during the anti-Sterlite protests. He had refused to take an anti-India stand even then and considering that he is not greedy after power or money like the other upcoming politicians such as Jignesh, Hardik and others. His earlier meeting with members of the Hindu Makkal Katchi which is a Hindu nationalist party in Tamil Nadu was also indicative of the type of politics he wanted to do when he jumps in the elections. The BJP and Rajinikanth have many things in common and they both need each other to clear the Aryan-Dravidian divide which exists in south India. The Dravidian politics of DMK and AIADMK has been fruitful for just the two of them; the people had to suffer due to the rift in society which has been brought in by the two biggest parties in Tamil Nadu.

Thalaiva’s arrival into the political sphere will make the politics of south more agenda and development oriented. The trickle down effect of Rajinikanth joining hands with BJP in Tamil Nadu will also help BJP in the other southern states and will finally make the BJP have a pan-India presence by winning seats in states such as Kerala.