17 May,2026 12:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rajinikanth and Thalapathy Vijay (Pics/AFP,PTI)
Vijay recently became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu by securing a majority in the Assembly elections. While several celebrities congratulated him, a section of the audience claimed superstar Rajinikanth was jealous of his win as he met M. K. Stalin during that time. Rajinikanth, on Sunday, dismissed the speculations, clarifying that he was neither jealous of nor politically opposed to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
Addressing a press conference at his Poes Garden residence, Rajinikanth said he decided to speak publicly as several criticisms against him were circulating on social media and in political circles. "I am holding this press meet because many criticisms are being made about me in connection with the election. If I do not respond to them, they will become accepted as the truth," he said.
The actor clarified that his post-election meeting with MK Stalin was purely personal, stating, "After the election results, I met Mr Stalin. That drew some criticism. Mr 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. 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 made clear."
Rajinikanth also addressed criticism over his reaction to Vijay becoming Chief Minister. "It was said that I did not congratulate Vijay at the airport. I posted my congratulations on X (formerly Twitter) as soon as he won... 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) becomes the CM, I might get jealous," he said with a smile.
Rejecting allegations of jealousy, the veteran actor praised Vijay's political rise. "There is a generation gap of 25 years between me and Vijay. I have said this before. If I compare myself with Vijay, it 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?" he remarked.
"At the age of 52, he has achieved more than what MGR or NTR achieved. He has defeated powerful parties and the BJP on his own, coming from the film industry," Rajinikanth stated.
Earlier, following Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's strong performance in the Assembly elections, Rajinikanth had congratulated Vijay in a post on X. When Vijay's final film, Jana Nayagan, was leaked online in HD print on April 9, Rajinikanth supported him by condemning the act.
