Diwali, Pongal, New Year, all in one for Rajini fans
By S Lalitha | Express News Service | Published: 01st January 2018 02:57 AM |
Last Updated: 01st January 2018 07:43 AM | A+A A- |
Rajinikanth greeting his fans in Chennai on Sunday| p jawahar
BENGALURU: The huge fan base of Rajinikanth in Bengaluru is over the moon following the superstar’s official announcement to enter politics on Sunday. Rajinikanth was born at Vani Vilas hospital in Bengaluru.
A 15-strong team had left from Bengaluru to Chennai on Saturday night to be present at the Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam when the big announcement was made. Ravi Kumar, who runs a battery business at Lalbagh, is one of those ardent fans. “We have waited for this news for a long time. Really delighted it happened today,” he told The New Indian Express over phone, while returning to Bengaluru.There are a minimum of 100 Rajini fan clubs with at least 50 members in each.
“We will now have to actively interact with fans there and find out all that we need to do to help him in his political career,” he said. The group is now returning to the City in an upbeat mood. Meanwhile, his childhood friend and schoolmate G Rajini Murugan is organising a special puja for Rajinikant’s health and political success at the Gavi Gangadhar temple on Thursday as this day of the week is considered auspicious for Lord Raghavendra.
“We will distribute laddoos to all the devotees and burst firecrackers to express our joy,” said Murugan, a prominent member of the Karnataka Rajini Seva Samiti. “For us, this is like Diwali, Pongal and New Year, all rolled into one,” he added.
Murugan, who studied with the Thalaivar up to class VII at the Kannada Model Primary School at Gavipuram from 1957 to 1964, and has played a crucial role in mobilising funds to rebuild the star’s alma mater into a modern, sophisticated one, says, “It is a matter of great pride for us that someone born in Bengaluru is going to shape Tamil Nadu politics now. Of course, I knew a month ago that such an announcement was to be made,” he claimed.
Murugan was unable to meet his superstar friend on Sunday morning due to the heavy security cordon around him.“We did not really want to insist on a meeting as he is very busy now. After a fortnight, things would stabilise and I will go and meet him in person.”
