Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal on Tuesday, asserted that MGR belonged to the whole of Tamil Nadu and not just to a party, he said addressing his cadres at Sivakasi. “It was the reason why the people adored him as ‘’Makkal Thilagam’’ (leader of the people) notwithstanding his party affiliation, be it the DMK or later, the AIADMK which he founded. Remember I grew up “on the lap of MGR” while several of you (Ministers) would not have even seen him personally,” he tweeted tagging a 1980’s video clip of MGR honouring him with a shawl and award and kissing him.

While addressing the students of a city college in March 2018, actor Rajinikanth had said that he would be able to provide good governance of MGR with the support of the people. Former Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisamy said that Rajinikanth would continue in the path of MGR. “All those who supported MGR to defeat the DMK would back Rajinikanth as well,” he declared.

Actor Vijayakant, who founded DMDK in 2005, called himself as Karuppu MGR and had at one point even declared that the late chief minister Jayalalithaa should claim the legacy of AIADMK founder.

Senior AIADMK leader and Minister D Jayakumar recently said that many people in the past claimed for the legacy of MGR, but only AIADMK has the sole right to claim his legacy.

Writer and CPM leader Prof Arunan said that not only actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, even BJP has been trying to usurp the legacy of MGR who is seen as a symbol of the DMK opposition. “For all the three of them, DMK is their main political opponent. MGR, who founded the AIADMK in 1972 is seen as an anti-DMK symbol. Even today, MGR has a lot of goodwill among the common voters. Hence they are trying to claim his legacy,” he said.

He noted that actors Rajini and Kamal also find it convenient to claim the legacy of MGR as he comes from the film industry. “MGR was in politics since the 1950s and had parallel film and political career before floating his own party in 1972. But both Rajinikanth and Kamal are entering the politics at the fag end of their cinema career,” he said, adding that claims on MGR legacy would only impact the AIADMK’s vote bank.