Rajinikanth's Rajini Makkal Mandram says its members free to resign and join other parties

Chennai: The Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) on Monday said members, if they want to, may join any political party after resigning from the Mandram. The statement comes in the wake of three district secretaries of RMM joining the DMK on Sunday. The resignation of the Mandram office-bearers comes following actor Rajinikanth’s recent U-turn on his plan to enter politics and face the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, due during April-May this year. “Members, if they desire to join and work with any political party, may do so after resigning from the Mandram,” RMM said in a statement. Though they join other parties, members of Rajini Makkal Mandram “should not forget” that they are fans of the actor, the statement added. District secretaries of Tuticorin, Ramanathapuram and Theni joined the DMK on Sunday. Apart from them, three other functionaries also joined the DMK. The Rajini Makkal Mandram, (Rajini People’s Forum) was previously considered the political launch vehicle of the top actor. On 29 December last year, Rajinikanth, citing his health condition vis-a-vis the coronavirus pandemic announced that he would not join politics. He had undergone renal transplant in 2016 and is on immuno-suppressants.