Rajinikanth aide Tamilaruvi breaks promise, retakes political plunge on followers' request

In the latest development, former Rajinikanth aide Tamilaruvi Manian did a U-turn on his decision to retire from politics and announced his move to return to the fold on the 'request of his party functionaries'. Tamilaruvi Manian, the founder of Gandhi Makkal Iyakkam, vowed to 'never return to politics until death.' The veteran leader said this a day after actor Rajinikanth withdrew from taking the political plunge on Dec 29. Speaking at an event in Coimbatore, Rajinikanth's ex-party coordinator Tamilaruvi Manian told his supporters that he had 'reconsidered' his decision to leave politics at the behest of his followers and had decided to take the plunge again. 

“I had said I will not enter politics until my last breath.  However, reconsidered it following requests from party functionaries, " Tamilaruvi Manian said.

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When Rajinikanth's aide quits politics

Writing a letter announcing his decision to quit politics, Tamilaruvi Manian claimed that the current political world had become a haven for people pursuing vested interests and that he had never 'lived outside virtue'. Further, the former Rajinikanth aide wished for an alternate political system based on the welfare of the people of the state allowing them to flourish, vowing to not return to politics until his death. Manian said that he had started out his career as a politician under Kamaraj and said that he had wished for Tamil Nadu to witness Kamaraj-like rule yet again. Rajinikanth's aide expressed his wish to abstain from the political arena that did not differentiate between 'gems and pebbles' and where his honesty, purity and morals were not praised.

"During my college years, I started my political career at the feet of Kamaraj.  For more than fifty years my political career has been impeccable.

The political arena has become a haven for dirty survivalists seeking self-interest in the name of caste, religion, race and language.  There is no value to honesty, truth and morality here.  I have never lived outside of virtue. Never handcuffed anyone under any circumstances. Even today my life is going on in a normal rental house.  A superior alternative politics based on the welfare of the people should flourish in this soil;  The only crime I committed was continuing to try to realize my dream of seeing Kamaraj rule in Tamil Nadu again."

"I no longer have anything to achieve in a political world that does not discriminate between gems and pebbles.  It is prudent for me to abstain completely from the political arena where my honesty, purity and morals are not praised.  I receive the answer at the feet of the friends of the Gandhian People's Movement who joined hands with me for the benefit of society without considering any exchange.  I will never step back into politics until the last day when death embraces me", Tamilaruvi Manian wrote in a letter announcing his decision to quit politics. 

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Superstar Rajinikanth took his fans by surprise after he announced his decision to not take the political plunge on Tuesday citing health concerns. The Kollywood megastar was scheduled to announce the launch of his party on December 31 and his party on January subsequently; however, he withdrew from the political race months ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Rajinikanth indicated he did not want to sound chivalrous by saying he will join politics despite his severe health concerns and that he did not want to "make a victim" of his supporters now. "Therefore, I inform with great regret I am unable to come to politics by floating a political party. Only I know the pain behind making this announcement," the 70-year-old actor said.

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Two days after being admitted to the hospital due to fluctuating blood pressure and exhaustion, Rajinikanth on Sunday was discharged from Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad. The actor had been shooting for 'Annaatthe' in Hyderabad when he was hospitalized. The shoot halted after crew members tested positive for COVID-19, as mentioned in his letter.

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Rajinikanth aide Tamilaruvi Manian does a U-turn on move to quit politics, cites followers