Sonia, Sonia, a la the Rajni way

Chennai, Apr 15: Rajnikanth may be keeping his cards close to his chest about his political support, but the Congress party, as can be seen, or rather heard, at campaign meetings here, is cashing in on his popularity through his hit songs.

At a street corner meeting in Thousand Lights Assembly constituency, where the crowd was waiting for Union Minister and former TNCC president G K Vasan, enthusiastic party workers were playing a song in praise of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

'Sonia, Sonia,' goes the tune, not the melodious 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' way but echoing the pulsating Rajni song 'Devuda Devuda' from his latest hit 'Chandramukhi', running since the last year.

Rajni, who in the past supported the DMK and the AIADMK-BJP, this time announced he would remain neutral for the Assembly election.

But in a state where film songs are the proven method to pull in the crowd, the Congress would have remembered that when Rajnikanth supported the now defunct Tamil Maanila Congress of G K Moopanar in a Lok Sabha poll, another Rajni hit number 'Rekka katti parakuthadi Annamalai cycle' from his 'Annamalai' was the mood stirrer.

The Rajni numbers apart, popular tunes of Tamil hits are also adapted by political parties to hail their leaders, thanks to the affinity between the Tamil film industry and politics in Tamil Nadu.

Predictably, AIADMK campaign meetings take off with old time but evergreen hits of matinee idol turned politician, former Chief Minister MGR, carry many a political message.

Still, one wonders how the Congress President will take to her name being blared out of loudspeakers in a tune that is earthy to say the least!

UNI