Chennai: South Indian superstar Rajinikanth has held a closed-door meeting with key senior functionaries of his fan club and discussed the preparations for the launch of his political outfit and the timing of the party's inception.
According to reports, his supporters expect him to launch the political party in October or at least within the end of this year. The sudden discussion with the senior functionaries comes on the same day when his friend and actor Kamal Haasan openly requested Rajinikanth 'to help the people of Tamil Nadu who had helped him a lot'.
According to insiders of the fan club, Rajinikanth raised questions over the organisational matters and the formation of booth committees which is essential to face any election. He had also asked the functionaries about the membership enrolment of the Makkal Mandram, which he is planning to convert into a political party.
Read: Superstar Rajinikanth visits ETV Bharat
The fan club had been transformed into the Makkal Mandram and this body is being strengthened throughout the state. The actor is keen to form an organisational network especially in the rural areas before the conversion of Makkal Mandram into a political outfit.
In the meeting held on Friday, Rajinikanth has asked about the completion of membership enrolment besides nomination of functionaries at various levels and raised questions if the Makkal Mandram is battle-ready to take up the challenge of next year's Assembly elections.
The star actor is expected to complete two more film projects this year, though nothing has been announced yet. The completion of the two projects is likely to take another ten months and he is likely to focus on political career after the two films.
His critics have opined that it might not be possible to capture power by launching a political party just six months before the elections. Rajinikanth's fans and supporters point out that AIADMK founder MGR was acting in films till he won the 1977 Assembly elections and Telugu Desam founder and matinee idol NT Ramarao rode to power within a few months of launching his party.
If a party is launched early, it will become mandatory for him to take a stand on each and every burning issue and express his views on every subject. He also feels that it will be difficult to sustain the momentum if a party is launched more than a year before the Assembly elections.
The actor is of the opinion that entering politics just six months prior to the 2021 Assembly polls will be sufficient to meet the people and popularise the new party and symbol.
