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<div class="gmail-td-crumb-container"><div class="entry-crumbs"><span><a title="" class="entry-crumb" href="http://www.afternoonvoice.com/">Home</a></span> <span><a title="View all posts in Top News" class="entry-crumb" href="http://www.afternoonvoice.com/top-news">Top News</a></span> <span class="gmail-td-bred-no-url-last">Can Rajinikanth fill political vacuum in Tamil Nadu?</span></div></div>
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<h1 class="entry-title">Can Rajinikanth fill political vacuum in Tamil Nadu?</h1>
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<div class="gmail-td-post-author-name"><div class="gmail-td-author-by">By</div> <a href="http://www.afternoonvoice.com/author/afternoonvoice">Afternoon Voice</a><div class="gmail-td-author-line"> - </div> </div> <span class="gmail-td-post-date"><time class="entry-date gmail-updated gmail-td-module-date" datetime="2017-12-26T21:07:30+00:00">December 26, 2017</time></span></div></header></div><div class="gmail-td-g-rec gmail-td-g-rec-id-content_inline gmail-td_uid_31_5a43fb07e3f97_rand gmail-td_block_template_1">
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<p><img class="gmail-alignnone gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-151967 gmail-td-animation-stack-type0-1" src="http://images.afternoonvoice.com/2017/12/Rajnikanth-AV.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="493"></p>
<p>Tamil superstar Rajinikanth is likely to make a foray into politics.
The actor will make an announcement pertaining to his stance of
political entry on December 31. Will Rajinikanth be able to fill the
political vacuum in Tamil Nadu after the death of J Jayalalithaa? Tamil
Nadu politics has been witnessing severe mayhem after Jayalalithaa’s
demise. Jayalalithaa was known as a mass leader and she had amicably
managed the functioning of AIADMK. However, after her demise infighting
is prevailing within AIADMK to take control over the reins of the party.
On the other hand, age related ailments have kept Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam (DMK) president M Karunanidhi away from active politics. Both
Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi were known for their administrative skills
and ability to connect with voters. Will Rajinikanth be able to gain
stature of both these leaders in Tamil Nadu? Can he attract voters and
take the state’s politics forward? Fans have always urged Rajinikanth to
enter politics and political observers too have much expectations from
him. The actor always was reluctant to make his debut in politics but
have always given hints about taking a political plunge. Tamil Nadu is a
state which is known for electing successful actors as chief ministers.
According to reports, Rajinikanth is likely to float his own political
outfit and may not join right wing nor the left wing. The superstar had
first given a hint of making a political entry in August this year.</p>
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<p><strong>Preeti Sharma Menon, AAP leader</strong> said, “According to
me people should join politics and we will have to induct right
candidate in this field to cleanse the system. In south India, many
political parties like DMK and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have been formed
but they too have emulated other parties that have been indulging in
corruption. Being a renowned actor you can definitely attract voters but
what matters is your party’s values and ideology.”<br>
“If Rajinikanth takes initiative to fight corruption and communal forces
by entering politics then it augurs well for the nation’s development
and I will definitely support him. According to me, a common man should
become Jayalalithaa’s successor in Tamil Nadu politics instead of actors
so that they will work for the welfare of masses,” she added.</p>
</div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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