Monday, September 12 2005 11:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Popular Tamil Film star and President of the South Indian Film Artistes' Association, Vijayakant is all set to enter the political arena on September 14 at Madurai when he would be announcing the name of the political outfit he is floating at his fan's club conference.

Vijayakant, who has a sizable following of the youth, had not so far campaigned for any political party in the past elections. He wanted to convert his fans clubs as political party as done by the late M G Ramachandran and N T Rama Rao, both of whom had tasted success in politics.

Going in a well-planned manner, the actor had wide ranging district-wise consultations with his followers, and even created a trained disciplined volunteer force, which would take care of security of his party meetings and his own. These volunteers had been trained by ex-servicemen and drawn from all districts.

'Take pride to say that you are a Tamil and we will say only what we will do' are the twin mottos of his party, Vijaykant had already announced.

He had gone on record that he would not align with any party

While making his debut, he has made a calculated attempt with an eye on the May 2006 assembly polls. He had gone on record that he would not align with any party, unmindful of the outcome in the hustings.

Vijayakant's political debut is being watched with a great deal of caution and anxiety by other parties in the state. The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam (AIADMK) and the opposition Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam (DMK) are keeping their fingers crossed as he is expected to make a dent into their respective forts.

Vijayakant, who had announced his desire to plunge into politics a year back, had been making planned attempt for a show of strength. He had chosen his home ground Madurai, considered as the heart belt of the southern districts of the state, to test his popularity.

Though he hailed from Madurai, he has bigger following in northern districts of the state, the backward Vanniyar heartland, and considered to be the stronghold of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), a constituent of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Center.

PMK, which had been opposing entry of film personalities into politics, had already criticised Vijayakant's moves. In fact the Union Health Minister and a senior PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramdoss had questioned the actor's entry into political arena.

Vijayakant, who has been keeping a distance between the AIADMK and the DMK, had been approached by some top AIADMK leaders, who had been sidelined in the party after the demise of M G Ramachandran and also some leaders from other political parties.

If every thing goes well, the actor who has no person with some political background presently, might admit such persons into his party.

Vijayakant had so far not disclosed his idea of the economic policies of his party or his views on the sensitive language issue. Reports are agog that he might come out in support of the three-language formula- Tamil, English and Hindi- at the party conference. If he does, he would be the first politician, heading a regional party to do so.

Meanwhile, his supporters had started complaining that the authorities were refusing permission for the vehicles to go to Madurai. Some of the fan associations had booked buses long back, but the owners of the buses had cancelled the bookings at the last moment.

"We will somehow reach Madurai and teach the authorities that they cannot intimidate us", the fan association's office bearers said.

Though there were several film personalities like the legendary Sivaji Ganesan, Bhagyaraj, T Rajerdhar and S SRajendran had floated their own political outfits, they could not succeed. How Vijyakant is going to shine in a field, which is very new to him, is the million-dollar question debated by political observers here.

Interestingly, Karthick, another popular actor and son of well known character Actor late Muthuraman, with an eye to enter polities, had started addressing his fans in the southern districts. Karthick, who had once expressed a desire to join the AIADMK, had not been admitted to the party so far.

He had recently floated a welfare organization- Saranalayam- meaning sanctuary, and had asked his fans to dedicate themselves in social work.