Rajinikanth: The political suspense from 1996 to 2020

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth has been teasing his fans about his political entry since 1996, the first time he took a political stand. From then till 2017, the speculation on his impending political entry was non-stop. On the last day of 2017, however, he ended the speculation saying his entry into politics is certain.

But he seemed to have developed a cold feet after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which the DMK-led alliance swept, by putting the onus on his political entry on the people. On Thursday, he finally announced that he will launch his political party in January.

Here is the chronology of the two-decade long suspense:

1996: Rajinikanth comes out in the open against the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa saying “even god cannot save Tamil Nadu if she comes back to power again”. He backs the DMK-TMC alliance, which sweeps the polls.

1998: Rajinikanth backs the DMK-TMC alliance yet again in the 1998 Lok Sabha polls. The alliance bites the dust.

1999-2003: Rajinikanth refrains from supporting any political party or combine

2004: Rajinikanth asks his fans to vote out PMK candidates in Lok Sabha polls in May 2004 by covertly supporting the AIADMK dispensation. DMK-Congress-PMK alliance wins all 39 Lok Sabha seats.

2004-2017: Rajinikanth goes into “silent mode”

December 31, 2017: Rajinikanth announces his entry into politics.

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.