'If 10 people unite to fight 1 person, who is powerful?': Rajinikanth weighs in on 'Modi vs Mahagathbandhan', drops hint

A day after offering a cryptic comment when asked whether the BJP was a danger to democracy, Tamil films superstar Rajinikanth has offered a sort of clarification, though still leaving many questions unanswered.

In his media address he said, "As far as BJP is concerned, so many parties are coming together to take on the BJP. I was asked if it is a dangerous party, so I responded saying that if all these parties come together to say they're dangerous then for the BJP all these parties are also dangerous."

Here is the text of his interaction with reporters, in the context of being asked a day earlier about whether the BJP was a danger to democracy given that opposition parties were coming together to oppose it, to which he had replied, "That's what they think. Then definitely that's how it must be, right?", to which he said, "That's what they think. Then definitely that's how it must be, right?":

Reporters: So you're saying the BJP is powerful?

Rajinikanth: If 10 people come together to fight a war against 1 person, who is powerful? The 10 people, or the person that they are fighting against? You only decide.

Reporters: So will you form an alliance with BJP?

Rajinikanth: We'll see that later.

 

Reporters: So you are trying to say that Narendra Modi is powerful?

Rajinikanth: I cannot say it clearer than this. If they all come together, who is powerful? The 10 people or that one person?

Reporters: So you can stay with those 10 people right?

Rajinikanth: (Laughs) Those 10 people are coming together.

Reporters: So those 10 people are powerful right?

Rajinikanth: Oh, so then 10 people are powerful? If 10 powerful people take on 1, how powerful is that one person? If all the Opposition parties think that the BJP is dangerous, then for them, it is a dangerous party. People have to decide whether it's dangerous for them or not. Okay? Understood now?

Reporters: What is Rajinikanth's comment on whether the BJP is a dangerous party or not?

Rajinikanth: I cannot say that now. People have to decide

The statement made on Tuesday shed a different light on the politician's political inclination, especially after his statement on Monday. That Rajini may formally play a role in electoral politics has been speculated for a long time, and the entry of his fellow actor Kamal Haasan into party politics has added to the clamour. However, Rajinikanth hasn't yet floated a party, though he has, as per sources, held a number of meetings with BJP leaders.

At the same time, there are tremendous machinations at play at the moment to form an anti-Modi alliance before the 2019 elections, with Chandrababu Naidu taking the lead recently by meeting a number of political leaders.

The opposition is trying to stitch together an alliance like that of 1996 United Front, according to Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy, or UPA 2004, according to CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, in order to defeat the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

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