Superstar Rajinikanth met DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin at his Chennai home two days after DMK faced a stunning defeat in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. A picture of Rajinikanth, 75, sitting across from the 73-year-old Stalin went viral on social media.
According to reports, Rajinikanth used the meeting to convey his support to Stalin.
Actor-turned-politician Vijay‘s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) defeated the DMK in the election, winning 108 seats against the DMK’s 59. Stalin also lost in his constituency to TVK candidate VS Babu by about 8,700 votes. With the DMK and its allies securing the second-highest tally, the alliance is set to sit in the Opposition in the new Assembly.
As Stalin did not win a seat, his son Udhayanidhi Stalin, the former Deputy Chief Minister and current MLA from Chepauk, is likely to take over as Leader of the Opposition. Rajinikanth’s visit has drawn attention because of his long-standing interest in politics and the support he has extended to the DMK in the past. In 1995, when he was expected to enter politics but did not, he backed the DMK alliance and campaigned for it. He also supported the party in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections. Rajinikanth later announced his political entry in 2017, but withdrew in 2021 citing health reasons.
After Vijay’s victory, Rajinikanth shared a post on X congratulating the actor-politician.
Vijay won both Trichy East and Perambur in the election and is likely to retain Perambur and resign from Trichy East, which would lead to a by-election. He still needs 11 more seats to prove a majority and form the government.
According to sources, the actor-politician is in talks with the Congress, Left parties, and other smaller regional outfits, including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), CPI(M), CPI, and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), to secure the numbers needed for a coalition arrangement.
Sources told India Today that Vijay is likely to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on May 7, along with nine Cabinet ministers.
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