india

Updated: Nov 09, 2019 17:58 IST

The ruling AIADMK denied any leadership vacuum in Tamil Nadu as alleged by Rajinikanth and said the actor was a long way from becoming state’s chief minister as he needed to work hard and long for it like MG Ramachandran.

Tamil Nadu chief minister and party join-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) said the recent bypoll victories had proven that AIADMK had filled “the vacuum” Rajinikanth referred to.

“In the two-seat bypolls in October, AIADMK candidates defeated the DMK candidates. So, it is proof that there is no leadership vacuum in Tamil Nadu,” EPS said on Friday night while thanking Vikravandi and Nanguneri voters for electing AIADMK candidates. Bypolls on these assembly seats were held on October 21.

Rajinikanth had claimed earlier in the day that death of former chief ministers, J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi, had left a void in state politics. DMK was the first to negotiate Rajini’s curveball by saying its party president MK Stalin had filled the vacuum after patriarch Karunanidhi’s passing.

EPS went on to say that those dreaming of becoming chief minister within a day of launching a political party should know that it requires hard work over a long period of time to win people’s trust.

“Several people are coming out with CM dreams, especially from the film industry, but they can’t fulfill their dream within a day of launching their party,” Tamil Nadu CM said.

EPS said AIADMK founder late MG Ramachandran’s journey from filmdom to the state’s highest political office was the result of sustained hard work.

“MGR did not become the CM in a single day. He put his efforts for a long period to emerge as a leader. He did not give interviews from the house,” EPS said in an indirect retort to Rajinikanth.

Tamil Nadu Cooperatives Minister and veteran AIADMK leader Sellur K Raju said Rajini’s comments were a publicity stunt for his upcoming film ‘Darbar’-- timed to hit the screens with Pongal festivities in January.

An office bearer of Rajini Makkal Mandram, a fan-based organization of Rajinikanth, responded by saying the megastar was the only personality capable of filling the leadership “vacuum” in Tamil Nadu.”