Wait for ‘Rajini’s voice’ continues in this election too

The ‘Superstar’s Voice’ which completely changed the colour of the electoral scene in 1996 assembly poll, has now become a favourite question directed at Rajinikanth by presspersons during every election. 

This time too, media persons confronted Rajinikanth with the same question recently at the Chennai Airport, when he was heading to Delhi to receive the Padma award. 

“No political questions, please,” was the terse reply from the man of masses. In fact, he faced a similar question from the press in Delhi too.

Some veteran journalists, who had covered past elections, said that it used to be a fashion or an attention-drawing exercise indulged in by many political leaders that they had a meeting with the Superstar. 

“It was just an attempt to create an impression that they (parties) had close ties with the icon and woo the support of his fans,” says Ganesan, a scribe. Though Rajinikanth has been firm in not entering politics, a group of his fans tried to contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. 

The group also went to Delhi to register the party, named Rajini Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, with the symbol ‘Baba muthirai’ with the Election Commission of India. But, the ECI reportedly rejected their plea as the LS election works had already commenced by then.

Shocked by the development, the Superstar was forced to issue a statement later that no one, including his fans, should use his name or picture for political reasons in anyway.

Despite all his statements and vow of abstention from politics, the expectation for ‘Superstar’s Voice’ refuse to die down. 

With little less than a month left for the hustings, everyone in the state expect that he would at least drop a hint though not make a straight statement.