Rajinikanth said he would contest the next (2021) assembly election while speaking on the last day of his interaction with fans at Raghavendra Marriage Hall in Kodambakkam. He will field candidates in all the 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu is a land where for more than half a century rationalism and atheism have been held as its founding principles, all due credit to the Dravidian movement. While no leader has dared to oppose it in the past, Rajinikanth is a larger than life celluloid figure turning everything upside down.

He has finally decided to take the political plunge. However, it seems that the actor is trying to buy more time by announcing that he intends to contest only in the upcoming assembly election — the polls will be held only in the summer of 2021 — and he has also refused to reveal the name of the party. The weight of the hesitancy baggage that he seems to be carrying is difficult to get it off his back.

The superstar said, “My politics will be based on spirituality, not on religion or caste.” He further assured that, if elected, his government will be secular, transparent and honest. He assures that if he could not give results according to his promises, he would dismantle the party. “The whole thing has to change. The system has to change. Democracy has been corrupted. It needs to be cleansed,” he added.

Rajinikanth said that from the days of rulers and kings looting other kingdoms and countries, we have stooped down to a level where rulers are looting their own country

Superstar has a huge number of fans and they have gone berserk following his announcement that he will launch a party and contest elections in all the 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. However, the reaction of the public has been mixed – from a mere snubbing to rank optimism.

His health factor seems to put him out of balance about the seriousness of his political plunge: He is already old at 68 and by the time the assembly polls are to be commenced in the state, he will cross 70. And the fact is that he has not been in the pink of his health.

Rajinikanth has already been seen as BJP’s frontman as he is known for his core Hindutva sentiments. He has hardly been seen taking up public causes or been on the road with the public during any calamity. Except for his 1996 now famous “bomb culture” and “even God cannot save Tamil Nadu,” he has hardly made his mind known.

Vaasanthi, author, and a political analyst elaborated that the Dravidian identity is a very strong force in the state and has seen resurgence lately. She said that Dravidian politics is not coming to an end anytime soon. Both the DMK and AIADMK parties have vote banks. But Rajinikanth’s entry will have a great impact on the Dravidian parties considering the huge fan following he has.”