DMK president MK Stalin and company appear to believe that Kamal has made the move only after learning enough about the much-hyped political plunge of actor Rajinikanth.

DMK leaders, who take comfort in Kamal’s decision, recalled an earlier statement of the actor that he was ready to partner with Rajinikanth to take on the Dravidian parties in the 2021 Assembly polls. A senior DMK leader, who did not wish to be named, said that Kamal Haasan decided to project himself as the Chief Minister candidate only after he was convinced that Rajini would not turn a spoiler in the months to come. “Kamal had made the earlier appeal to Rajini in anticipation of his political debut in 2021. But, the pandemic has changed everything. Kamal must have decided after realising that there was no need to wait further. We too learnt that Rajini has gone for a rethink after COVID-19 swept through the State.”

Remarking that only a few sidekicks seeking political rehabilitation through Rajini were setting new deadlines every day for his entry, a senior DMK leader said, “First, they said November. Now, they are suggesting that Rajini might announce by the end of the year or early next year. Nothing concrete has come from the actor, who seems to be more concerned about his health now. Unless a dramatic change in the COVID scenario happens or an inevitable push comes from Delhi, he will not take the plunge. We understand that he has decided to call it quits.”

A DMK leader familiar with the working of the party at the helm said that Rajini was least of their concerns and even if the actor decides to join the race for Chief Ministership later, it might be a tad too late. “Even if he plans to announce a few months before the election, it will be too late. Kamal must have sensed it and hence Friday’s announcement. Even BJP had caught a whiff of it much earlier and concretised its ties with AIADMK for 2021,” the leader added.