JOIN USRajinikanth: From a definite announcement to the withdrawal
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth ended decades-long suspense on the last day of 2017 by announcing his entry into politics. On December 31, 2017, he announced that his new political party would contest the Tamil Nadu assembly elections. Though he dithered several times even after the announcement, Rajinikanth declared on December 3 that he will keep his date with politics. However, on Tuesday, he pulled out of the game citing ill-health.
Here is the chronology of the three-year suspense:
December 31, 2017: Rajinikanth announces his entry into politics
January 2, 2018: Rajinikanth meets press informally, explains his decision to take the political plunge
March 5, 2018: Rajinikanth makes his first political speech by promising to usher in MGR's rule
May 29, 2018: Rajinikanth makes controversial statements on anti-Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi
February 17, 2019: Rajinikanth announces that he will not support any political party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls
March 5, 2020: Rajinikanth tells his fans he does not want to be Chief Minister
March 12, 2020: Rajinikanth puts the onus on the people for him to join politics
October 29, 2020: Rajinikanth admits he underwent a renal transplant and indicates he may have to shelve political plans
November 30, 2020: Rajinikanth meets district secretaries of his Rajini Makkal Mandram
December 3, 2020: Rajinikanth announces he will launch his own political party in January 2021
December 14, 2020: Rajinikanth resumes shooting for his film Annatthe in Hyderabad
December 25, 2020: Rajinikanth admitted to Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad due to “severe fluctuations” in BP
December 27, 2020: Rajinikanth discharged from hospitals; flies to Chennai
December 29, 2020: Rajinikanth announces his decision not to take the political plunge, apologies to his fans and people