Don't have any political ambitions, says tamil actor Ajith Kumar
Chennai, Jan 21: Popular Tamil cinema star Ajith Kumar Monday denied that he had any political ambitions, saying he was careful to ensure there was no political undertones even in his films.
His job was to act and he was 'clear' about this, the 'Viswasam' star said in a statement, seeking to put an end to 'reports' in this connection.
"Everyone knows that I am determined that there are no political colours attached to me in my personal capacity or in my fims. My job is to act in movies," he said.
The actor, whose films are known to command good openings, recalled he had earlier disbanded his fan clubs to ensure that there were no political colours on him or on them.
"Even after this decision of mine, there are reports linking my name or that of my fans with certain political happenings. These will create an apprehension among people that I have now got political ambitions, and that too with the (general) elections around" he said.
Ajith Kumar has a good fan following and his Pongal release 'Viswasam' is said to be giving a tough run to superstar Rajinikanth's action flick 'Petta', also released during the festive season, in box office collections in the domestic market.
Tamil cinema has always been identified with two stars on either sides during the respective eras, starting with the icons, the late M G Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan, followed by Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, and now Vijay and Ajith Kumar.
While Haasan has already floated his political party, Rajinikanth has announced he will take the political plunge.
Reports have suggested that Vijay could also join politics, though he has not officially made any statement so far.
However, his last film 'Sarkar' angered the AIADMK for its alleged poor depiction of the ruling party's freebie schemes, even resulting in stalling of shows by supporters in some areas.
In his statement today, Ajith Kumar further said," I have no direct or indirect interest in politics."
"My best link with politics is casting my vote as a citizen by standing in the queue," he said, adding that he has never asked his fans to vote for or support a particular political party.
"I too have my individual preferences in politics but I don't impose them on anyone, nor do I allow others to do that on me. I expect my fans also to be so," he said.
The actor said he was focused on his film career and has not made any political statements. He was also against any indecent criticism of other actors on social media.
He urged his fans from various walks to focus on their education and profession and be law-abiding citizens and maintain unity and mutual respect.
"This is (how you show your) love for me. Live and let live," he said.
Ajith Kumar had earlier created a flutter a couple of years ago when he complained to then Chief Minister, the late M Karunanidhi, at a cinema event that actors were being forced to take a stand on sensitive political issues, apparently referring to the Cauvery water sharing dispute with Karnataka and plight of the Sri Lankan Tamils.
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AIMIM wins Malegaon Central seat by 162 votes
Malegaon (Maharashtra), Nov 23: In a closely contested election, Mohammad Ismail Abdul Khalique of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has retained the Malegaon Central assembly seat, winning by a razor-thin margin of 162 votes.
This victory in the north Maharashtra constituency marks a significant turnaround for Khalique, who previously enjoyed a commanding lead in the 2019 elections, winning by over one lakh votes.
Khalique, an Islamic scholar, received a total of 1,09,653 votes this time, narrowly defeating his nearest rival, Asif Shaikh Rasheed of the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra party, who got 1,09,491 votes.
There were a total of 13 candidates contesting in this Muslim dominated constituency. Barring Khalique and Rasheed, two other candidates -- Shaan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed of Samajwadi Party and Ejaz Baig Aziz Baig managed below 10,000 votes. Other remaining candidates were below 1,000 votes.
This election marks Khalique's third term as an MLA. He initially represented the Malegaon Central seat in 2009 as a member of the Jan Surajya Shakti party.
However, Khalique faced a setback in the 2014 elections when he contested under the banner of the Nationalist Congress Party and lost.
His return to the assembly in 2019 under the AIMIM banner solidified his political presence, and despite the significantly reduced margin this year, he has once again emerged victorious.
The results highlight the competitive nature of the Malegaon Central constituency and underscore Khalique's resilience in maintaining his position amidst changing political dynamics.
