Never aspired to become chief minister of Tamil Nadu: Rajinikanth

Refusing to give a categorical timeline for the launch of his political party, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Thursday put the onus on the people to "show the resurgence towards a political change" for him to take the formal plunge.

Also, in an anti-climax of sorts, Rajinikanth made it clear he never aspired for the Chief Minister's chair. He said that it is not in the "traits of my blood" and would only remain as leader of a political party and oversee the performance of the government without "interfering much" in its functioning.

In a half-hour monologue in what was supposed to be an interaction with the media, the 69-year-old superstar narrated a carefully drafted script that pushed the ball onto the common man's court for him to enter politics. He left without taking any questions from the media.

Through the 30 minutes, the superstar did not give even a small hint on when he would launch his political party but gave enough indications that he may not be a true-blue political material. Rajinikanth said he can’t imagine sitting in the Assembly, giving speeches and listening to speeches – the actor made it clear he just wants to play the role of a "facilitator" to usher in the change, which Tamil Nadu has been "yearning" for decades.

He outlined three "novel ideas" – limited number of party posts to curb corruption, bringing youngsters and clean people to politics and positions in the corridor of power and him not being the Chief Minister but just the head of the yet-to-be-launched political party – and asked his fans to take them to the nook and corner of the state.

"Take this message to the people, to the nook and corner of the state and please stop projecting me as the next chief minister. Tell people about my ideas and let there be a resurgence and wave (in favour of me), I will come then. I will come," Rajinikanth said in his signature filmy style by thumping the podium before which he was making the speech.

Admitting that 2021 election was his "first and last chance" for taking the political plunge, Rajinikanth said he was making clear his policies and his "not for CM" stand much before the formal launch of his political party. "If people don’t accept my policies and my stand on not occupying the Chief Minister’s post now, how will they accept after launching the political party?" he asked.

He also revealed that neither his fans nor his advisors are comfortable with his idea of not holding the Chief Minister’s post.

Billing the 2021 elections as the "opportune moment" for overthrowing the Dravidian majors from power after a gap of 53 years, Rajinikanth said Tamil Nadu has a "huge political vacuum" due to the passing away of Dravidian stalwarts M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa.

"If not now, there will neither be political change nor government change (in Tamil Nadu)," Rajinikanth declared, before apologising to reporters for not taking questions as answering them would "dilute the message" that he delivered.

Acknowledging that defeating DMK, which is looking for revenge for losing power in the state twice, and AIADMK, which has all resources at its disposal for the party is in power in Tamil Nadu for nearly a decade, Rajinikanth said he was interested in politics to usher in a change and not to be just a spoiler or “vote splitter.”

"A movement should take birth and there should be a resurgence. If there is a resurgence among the youth and common people, we can just tide over the two giants of Dravidian politics. If there is a wave, a movement and resurgence for a change, we can achieve. It is your duty to bring that wave," Rajinikanth told his fans.