Rajinikanth not to contest Assembly polls in TN

Chennai: Top filmstar Rajinikanth on Sunday ruled out contesting the bypolls to the Tamil Nadu Assembly even as his contemporary Kamal Haasan said he would be among his Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) candidates for the key electoral battle in the state.

“No” was the terse reply by Rajinikanth when asked about contesting the byelections since he had declared last month that his target was Assembly polls and not Lok Sabha.

The actor is yet to launch his party though on December 31, 2017, he had announced he would make the political plunge and would contest all 234 seats in the assembly elections.

Haasan, talking to reporters here separately later, said his party has been allotted the torch light symbol by the Election Commission.

“It is a very suitable symbol and we thank the Election Commission for it,” he said.

To a question, he said his party would be contesting in the bypolls to the 18 Assembly constituencies, to be held along with the LS elections on April 18. “Sure, we are making all necessary arrangements.”

Asked if he would be in the poll fray, Haasan said he will contest and announce the constituency later.

The bypolls are considered crucial as it would have a bearing on the stability of the AIADMK government which ne-eds to win a sizeable nu-mber of them to retain its majority in the 234-member House.  Rajinikanth parried a question on which party he would support in the bypolls.