Tamil Nadu Polls: Rajinikanth's 'Makkal Mandram' office-bearers join DMK

Chennai, Jan 17: Three district secretaries of Rajini Makkal Mandram joined the DMK in the presence of party president M K Stalin here on Sunday.

The development is following actor Rajinikanth''s recent abandonment of his plan to enter politics and face the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, due during April-May this year.

District secretaries of Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram A Joseph Stalin and K Senthil Selvanand respectively and Theni district secretary, R Ganesan joined the DMK at its headquarters ''Anna Arivalayam'' here.

Besides the district level office-bearers, three more functionaries joined the party, a DMK release here said. They joined the party in the presence of M K Stalin, party deputy general secretary A Raja, organising secretary R S Bharati and other senior leaders.

The Rajini Makkal Mandram, (Rajini People''s Forum) was previously considered the political launch vehicle of the top actor.

On December 29 last year, Rajinikanth, citing his health condition vis-a-vis the coronavirus pandemic announced that he would not join politics. He had undergone renal transplant in 2016 and is on immuno-suppressants.