When Mr. Rajinikanth announced early this month that he would start a party in January, certain sections expected the emergence, at last, of a strong third force. There is no unanimity on the assessment of the impact of Mr. Rajinikanth’s decision. His colleague feels that had Mr. Rajinikanth chartered a journey independent of his party, the BJP would not have supported him. A senior member of the AIADMK says the talk of the BJP using Mr. Rajinikanth to browbeat his party stands dismissed. Apart from what it can generate in the immediate future, Mr. Rajinikanth’s decision can have a long-term impact.

Source: The Hindu December 29, 2020 22:19 UTC