South superstar Rajinikanth held a significant press conference at his residence in Chennai on Sunday, May 17. During this interaction, he broke his silence on various political speculations that emerged following the Tamil Nadu assembly election results. The veteran actor stated that his statements and meetings were being misrepresented by certain sections, and he felt the need to clarify the situation to prevent people from believing false rumors.
Clarification on Meeting with MK Stalin
Following the election results, Rajinikanth met with DMK chief and former Chief Minister MK Stalin. This meeting sparked intense political debate, with many questioning the motive behind it. Rajinikanth clarified that his friendship with Stalin transcends politics. He expressed personal grief over Stalin's defeat in the Kolathur constituency, which prompted him to visit his friend. He emphasized that the visit was purely personal and shouldn't be viewed through a political lens.
Addressing Rumors of Jealousy Towards Vijay
The victory of actor-turned-politician Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led to social media claims that Rajinikanth was unhappy with the outcome. Some rumors even suggested that he was attempting to merge parties or was against Vijay becoming the Chief Minister. Rajinikanth firmly denied these allegations, stating that his level has not fallen so low as to be jealous of someone else's success. He clarified that he had already congratulated Vijay on X (formerly Twitter) on May 4, immediately after the results were announced.
Praise for Vijay's Historic Achievement
Rajinikanth lauded Vijay for achieving a significant milestone at the age of 52. He noted that even legendary leaders like MGR and NTR didn't achieve such political success so early in their careers. He highlighted that Vijay managed to win by competing against the BJP at the center and two major established parties in the state. Rajinikanth mentioned that there is a 25 year generational gap between him and Vijay, making any competition between them inappropriate. He jokingly added that he might have felt jealous if his contemporary Kamal Haasan had become the Chief Minister, but for Vijay, he has only well wishes.
Absence from the Swearing-in Ceremony
Addressing the criticism regarding his absence from Vijay's swearing-in ceremony and his silence during TVK's struggle to prove a majority, Rajinikanth stated that he has never attended swearing-in ceremonies in the past. He questioned whether anyone had ever seen him at the ceremonies of previous Chief Ministers, indicating that his absence was consistent with his long-standing personal policy rather than a sign of protest.
Reaction to Jananayagan Film Leak
The superstar also touched upon the issue of film piracy. Vijay's final film, Jananayagan, was leaked online on April 9. Rajinikanth had strongly condemned this act on April 10 through a social media post. He expressed deep shock and sadness over the leak and urged film organizations and the government to identify and punish the culprits to prevent such crimes in the future.