Rajinikanth's political advisor quits politics day after Tamil superstar backs out

Tamilaruvi Manian, a former Congressman who was advising Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on his political plans, on Wednesday announced he was exiting politics for good. The decision by Manian, who was with the Congress for a long time and enjoyed close relations with its veteran G K Moopanar, came a day after Rajinikanth went back on his plans to launch a political party.

70-year-old Manian, who is opposed to the Dravidian majors, has been closely associated with Rajinikanth ever since he announced his intent to launch a party and contest the assembly elections in the state on the last day of 2017. On December 3, when Rajinikanth declared that he would finally launch his party in January next year, the actor appointed Manian as manager for his political venture.

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Manian had expressed confidence earlier this week about Rajinikanth launching a political party despite his “ill-health” following the actor's hospitalisation in Hyderabad.

“Until the time death embraces me, I will not step into politics again. I am leaving. I will not come back," Manian, who runs Gandhiya Makkal Iyakkam, said in a statement.

Manian rued that his “biggest crime” was his repeated attempts to bring back the “Kamaraj Rule” in Tamil Nadu and contended that uncharacteristic remarks made against him had “hurt my family members.” Recalling that he began his political career under K Kamaraj, the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Manian alleged that all “good qualities” in politics have been buried by the Dravidian parties.

“I had never gone against the truth and I never went and stood before others. Even today, I am living in a rented accommodation,” Manian added in his statement. This is not the first time that Manian has issued a statement announcing his exit from politics – he issued a similar kind of a statement in 2016 but went on to advise Rajinikanth a year later.