Though the DMK leadership had said on December 3 that it would wait for more details about the spiritual politics to be launched in Tamil Nadu by  Rajinikanth, in its first official reaction  on Friday, the Dravidian major could not hide its disapproval of the new entity to be launched by the actor.

“It is not correct to bring spiritual politics to Tamil Nadu,” said Kanimozhi MP, the step sister of party president M K Stalin while addressing public meetings in Tamil Nadu.  She said this was an attempt to divide the State and its people based in caste, creed and religion. But the DMK leader did not elaborate how Rajinikanth would divide the population in the State and which are the communities to be benefitted by the new political party.

Addressing party cadre across the south western districts of the State as part of her election campaign for the 2021 assembly election, Kanimozhi said that Rajinikanth’s political party would impact the prospects of the AIADMK while the DMK and allies would not be impacted at all.

But reports from Anna Arivalayam, the DMK head quarters in Chennai, say that Stalin and other leaders have pressed the panic button following the announcement by Rajinikanth last Thursday. “Hectic parleys are on between the DMK and the Dr Ramadoss led PMK to rope in the Vanniyar caste votes,” said sources in the DMK. The sudden agitation unleashed by the PMK last week demanding 20 per cent reservation for the Vanniyar community in government service and educational institutions is being seen as the prelude to the PMK’s move to align with the DMK.

“The PMK is known for its game of flying trapeze and political acrobatics. The party has always jumped from one alliance to another in successive elections and is famous for its consistently inconsistent stances. What I understand is that the DMK leadership may even part with the post of deputy chief minister to the Vanniyar community as part of the deal,” said Kolahala Srenivasan, author and political commentator.

Vanathi Srinivasan, BJP leader, said the DMK may have to pay high price for its anti-Hindutwa stance and appeasement of minorities. “Let them appease the minorities and we do not have any issues. But they should not insult and humiliate the Hindus to keep the minorities in good humour,” said Srinivasan.

S Gurumurthy, editor, Tughlaq, said that  the coming weeks would see  tempers rising in the State as the DMK is upset over the announcement made by Rajinikanth. “History proves that the DMK and the Congress were the losers when the AIADMK was formed by MGR in 1972. We will the same phenomenon now as the Tamils are waiting for a change from the worn out and rusted Dravidian politics,” said Gurumurthy.