“Most of our party workers are hoping that actor will float the party by November and such a move will help the BJP to supplement its base promoting religious and spiritual politics, but the actor is dragging,” a senior BJP functionary said wishing not to be named.

“We had plans of projecting actor Rajnikanth as the Chief Minister candidate for the BJP-AIADMK alliance, but the actors’ delay has made us dependent on the incumbent EPS. However, we are confident that the actor will extend his moral support to the saffron party ahead of the May 2021 Assembly polls,” the BJP senior said recalling the support of Rajinikanth for Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Already BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan has expressed reservations on the AIADMK announcing the CM candidate without consulting the alliance parties. The PMK leaders Ramadoss, his ambitious political heir Anbumani Ramadoss and actor Rajinikanth are yet to comment on the development, another BJP insider noted.

“It’s a great strategy by our leader Edappadi K Palaniswami to ensure that the CM candidate is announced early. It will settle the buzz around actor Rajinikanth and Anbumani Ramadoss,” said an AIADMK senior, who is also a legislator. Both EPS and OPS by burying their differences have proved that AIADMK is intact and the ruling party will continue to be the market leader in TN’s electoral politics, the MLA said.

When asked what will happen if Rajinikanth joins the AIADMK– BJP alliance and who will be the CM candidate, the senior said first let the actor float his party, then we can comment. When contacted a prominent ardent political supporter of actor Rajinkanth for comments, the politician said: “only by January we will know the plans of superstar, until then no comments.”