R Arjunamurthy, a close aide of actor Rajinikanth, rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party at the state party headquarters in Kamalayam, Chennai. Arjunamurthy joined the BJP in the presence of Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai.
Arjunamurthy headed the BJP’s Tamil Nadu intellectual cell before becoming Rajinikanth’s close aide. He was associated with a few Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders and was active on Tamil Nadu BJP forums. Nevertheless, his appointment as Rajinikanth’s party’s chief coordinator on December 03, 2020, surprised many. However, on December 29, 2020, Rajinikanth opted out of politics citing health concerns.
In February 2021, Arjunamurthy launched his own political party, the Indhiya Makkal Munnetra Katchi. When Arjunamurthy launched the party and its symbol, he invited Rajinikanth fans to join. According to him, the party’s ideology revolved around promise, equality, and dedication. Actor Rajinikanth had congratulated Arjunamurthy after the party’s launch. “I extend my wishes to Arjunamurthy who has floated a new independent party,” Rajinikanth had said in a press release.
IMMK founder Arjunamurthy had told reporters that if his party were to come to power, it would provide skill training to underprivileged students. “We will bring village development officers who will help youngsters create startups in villages. We will make agriculture education mandatory till Class 10. School and college students above 18 years will get a petrol card along with a free bus pass,” he had said.
Raised in Pudukottai, a district bordering Madurai and Tiruchi in Tamil Nadu, Arjunamurthy belongs to the influential Gounder community. He is the son of Ramaswamy, a businessman who owned Janatha Roadways. Arjunamurthy moved to Chennai after the business was sold.
