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Elections a major victory for Modi, Rahul need not resign: Rajinikanth
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "charismatic" leader like Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi and attributed the BJP's massive win in the Lok Sabha polls to his leadership.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
The actor-politician on Tuesday termed the Lok Sabha election outcome a victory for one individual: Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
After Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, "it is Modi who is a charismatic leader attracting people", he said.
"In Indian politics, whether at the national level or state, any party will reap wins only on the (popularity) of a leader. He is a charismatic leader," he said about Modi.
He noted that the country in the past had charismatic leaders like Nehru, Indira, Rajiv and Vajpayee.
"After them (the country) has got Modi, a charismatic leader. If you see in Tamil Nadu, there were charismatic leaders like Kamaraj, Anna, Kalaignar, MGR, Jayalalithaa.
Along those lines, this victory is achieved for the leadership of Modi," he said.
However, the BJP lost out in southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu due to an "anti-Modi wave" though there was a pro-Modi wave in other parts of the country, he noted.
"When there is a political wave, one cannot swim against it and will be swept away," he added.
The reasons for such an anti-Modi wave in Tamil Nadu included the Sterlite issue in Tuticorin, methane extraction project in Cauvery delta and the "whirlwind campaign" of the opposition, Rajinikanth added.
'Rahul shouldn't resign'
Rajinikanth also said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi need not resign from his post owning responsibility for the party's defeat.
He was a youngster and perhaps had not got the cooperation of senior party leaders during the election.
"The senior leaders of Congress did not function in a coordinated manner during the elections," Rajinikanth said.
"As a youngster it is difficult to handle the senior-most people. Even I think, my observation is, the senior Congress leaders -- they had not cooperated well. They had not worked hard," he said.
The actor said he will attend the swearing in ceremony of the new government in Delhi.
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