It turned out to be a new year celebrations in advance for the fans of Rajinikanth as they welcomed his announcement today on political entry by bursting crackers and distributing sweets across the state.
Euphoria gripped the fans soon after the 67-year-old 'Kabali' star said he would launch his own political party ahead of the next assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, fulfilling their long-pending expectation.
The jubilant fans also offered prayers at various temples.
The fans, who gathered at the Raghavendra marriage hall where Rajinikanth made the announcement on the concluding day of his six-day photo session with them, waved the fan club flags outside the venue and raised slogans hailing his decision.
Acknowledging the rapturous response, Rajinikanth walked up to the balcony of the marriage hall and waved to his fans.
Slogans such as "thalaiva thalaiva (leader)" rent the air as the fans who gathered outside the venue and elsewhere broke into celebrations, dancing to some of the tunes from the actor's blockbuster movies.
"It is Thalaivar's New Year gift to us," Raju, a fan, said.
Hailing the move, they also distributed sweets to passengers in buses and local trains at different places.
The fan club flag featuring stripes of blue, white and red with a star in the centre embossed with the image of Rajinikanth were seen fluttering in parts of the city.
A Coimbatore report said fans, cutting across party affiliations, celebrated the occasion by performing rituals at temples and also by bursting crackers.
A group of persons performed 'Angapradakshinam' (rolling over around sanctum sanctorum) of the "Arulmigu Koniyamman Temple, the presiding deity of the city.
A fan in Salem said the occasion resembled the release of a movie of Rajinikanth which normally witnesses "jubiliation" among the fans.
"Normally, fans pour milk in his placards and distribute sweets to his fans. Today's occasion resembled that", he said.
As the news of Rajinikanth's political entry spread like wild fire, social media platforms were flooded with comments both criticising and hailing the actor's decision.
"#superstar #rajinikanth announces his political entry. Good news to start a new year", an user tweeted.
The news was trending in Twitter since morning.
Another fan of the actor said, "Finally, 2017 is gonna end happily....#RajiniForTamilNadu #ThalaivarPoliticalEntry".
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
