Looking back, Rajinikanth recalls being overwhelmed by advice over his attempt to enter politics

Looking back at his unsuccessful attempts at entering politics, actor Rajinikanth on Sunday recalled how he was overwhelmed upon being bombarded with advice.

The actor lauded Chief Minister Janaki Ramachandran for not having listened to any advice, and for making a decision on her own to endorse Jayalalithaa’s leadership of the AIADMK (following the divided AIADMK’s defeat in the 1989 Assembly election).

“I had said in 2017 that I will enter politics. After that, I met so many people, and many came to advice me. If I had to listen to all of them, that was it, I would have lost my peace. I do not know if they actually knew what they were talking about,” Rajinikanth said in a video, which was played at the birth centenary celebrations of Janaki, organised by the AIADMK here.

Quoting spiritualist Ramakrishna Paramahamsa that decisions should be made for one’s good as well as others’ welfare, Mr. Rajinikanth said the decision that Janaki had taken was in line with this ideal.

He recalled various anecdotes to underline the lives of AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran and his wife Janaki. Referring to the split of the AIADMK after MGR’s death, Mr. Rajinikanth recalled how the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol, “the brahmastram of the AIADMK”, was frozen and the factions lost in the elections soon after.

Having realised that she was not cut out for politics, Janaki invited Jayalalithaa and said that the latter had the courage and maturity to lead the AIADMK. She then withdrew from politics, the actor said.

He thanked AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and others for having organised Janaki’s birth centenary celebrations.

Published - November 24, 2024 11:15 pm IST