Tearing into criticisms against him for meeting former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin after the results of the Assembly polls were out, ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth also offered clarification on allegations that he did not properly congratulate the incumbent Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and shied away from a journalist’s question on the same. Speaking to the media on Sunday, he further emphasised that it was wrong to say that he is “jealous” of Vijay.
“After the election results, I met Stalin. That drew some criticism. Stalin has been my friend for 38-40 years. Our friendship is beyond politics. In a democracy, winning and losing are common. Still, I felt a little bad that Stalin lost in Kolathur. So I met him as a friend. For that, some people said that ‘Rajinikanth went there to discuss how to prevent Vijay from becoming the CM.’ In such a situation, I can only say that ‘Rajinikanth is not such a cheap person.’ This should be very clear,” ‘Thalaivar’ said.
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Rajinikanth on claims that he ‘didn’t congratulate Vijay’
Pointing out that he shared a congratulatory note for Vijay on X (formerly Twitter) soon after the results came out and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single-largest party, Rajinikanth explained why it was unfair to pit him and Vijay against each other despite their 25-year age gap. Clarifying why he didn’t entertain the “journalist” who sought his reaction to Vijay becoming the CM, Rajinikanth stated, “Since 2016, after I announced my entry into politics, whenever I got to airports, I would usually ask the staff there if any media were present. Similarly, while going to Bengaluru recently, I asked whether there was any media there. They said no.”
ஏர்போர்ட் -ல பத்திரிக்கையாளர் கேட்கும் போது ஏன் @TVKVijayHQ -க்கு வாழ்த்து சொல்லனு விமர்சனம் வைக்குறாங்க!
• கேள்வி கேட்ட வர நான் பார்த்தப்ப அவர் பத்திரிக்கையாளர் ஆள் மாதிரியே தெரியல அதனாலதான் நான் கிளம்பி போயிட்டேன் !
~ நடிகர் ரஜினிகாந்த்pic.twitter.com/ro5tipXn95
— Prakash Vijay (@PrakazVijay_Of) May 17, 2026
The veteran actor continued, “Then, as I was walking, someone who didn’t look like a media person… holding a phone, came up to me and said, ‘Vijay is becoming the Chief Minister,’ asking for my reaction to it. I was shocked. He didn’t look like a reporter as he had just a phone. I just smiled and left. Soon, there was criticism that I didn’t congratulate him.”
‘If Kamal Haasan became CM, I might have felt jealous’
‘Thalaivar’ also addressed claims that he’s jealous of Vijay. “I am not in politics. I have already left politics. When I am not in politics, why should I be jealous of him? Maybe if Kamal Haasan became the Chief Minister, I might have felt jealous,” the Superstar said, laughing, and added, “Even then, I wouldn’t have. What is destined for someone will happen, and what is not won’t.”
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Rajinikanth continued, “There is a generation gap of 25 years between Vijay and me. I have said this before. Comparing myself to Vijay is not good for me. If Vijay compares himself with me, it is not good for him. I have seen him since he was a child. Why should I be jealous of him becoming the CM?”
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‘Vijay has achieved more than what MGR, NTR did at his age’
Commending Vijay for his political rise, the ‘Superstar’ pointed out, “At 52, he has achieved more than what MG Ramachandran (MGR) or NT Rama Rao (NTR) did. He has defeated powerful parties and the BJP on his own, coming from the film industry. I am not jealous, but I have a mix of surprise and happiness. I appreciate him. So there is no jealousy. People have high expectations of Vijay. I believe he will fulfil them. My best wishes to him.”
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When a reporter asked if he had any advice for Vijay, Rajinikanth mentioned that people’s expectations of him were sky-high. “But, in my opinion, we should give him at least two years (before asking for results). Also, his party members and fans should be very careful because whatever mistake they make, it will straight away affect Vijay and his reputation.”
‘Would have certainly won if I contested 2001 elections’
“We had been seeing a particular scenario for over 60 years. A change was necessary,” Rajinikanth said when asked how the rule of a non-Dravidian party would impact Tamil Nadu politics. One reporter also asked him if he would have emerged victorious had he launched a political party and contested the 2001 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
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Rajinikanth replied, “I would have 100 per cent won. There is no doubt about it.” To the follow-up question of whether he felt he missed the chance, the acting legend refused to respond.
About Rajinikanth
One of the most successful and popular actors in the history of Indian cinema, Rajinikanth has worked in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Bangla, and Malayalam over his career spanning five decades, which began with director K Balachander’s Apoorva Raagangal (1975). He was last seen in director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie (2025) and is currently gearing up for the release of Nelson Dilipkumar’s Jailer 2, which will hit the screens later this year.
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