Rajini speaks in support, but will BJP benefit?

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 14

Megastar Rajinikanth is in the news again, this time with some comments “favouring” the saffron party. For the BJP, which is trying to make independent inroads into the politically complex Dravadian state— Tamil Nadu—any local support would be more than welcome but whether Rajinikanth will become a part of the “juggernaut” remains to be seen.

For one, Rajinikanth may be a powerful film star with a huge fan following, but it remains to be seen whether his fan base will translate into vote base. Secondly, though the BJP won just one of the 39 seats in the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and has no major cadre support there, much has changed there since then.

The fabled Dravadian politics that revolved around big film stars has undergone a tectonic shift after the death of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa and DMK supremo M Karunanidhi. Her new improved statue unveiled today may have earned the ruling AIADMK some brownie points, but whether it will be good enough to see the beleaguered party through next time remains to be seen.

Given the circumstances, the BJP would not be averse to Rajinikanth. PM Modi, who met him at his residence ahead of the LS poll, is believed to be in his favour.