Chennai : A day after voting in Tamil Nadu for 38 Lok Sabha seats and 18 assembly seats, superstar Rajinikanth on Friday announced that he will contest the next assembly elections, whenever they are held.

“Whenever it is announced I am ready. I will decide after May 23,” Rajinikanth told media persons that he would contest elections for the state assembly if AIADMK falls short of majority and it falls.

The AIADMK government has 114 members including the speaker and would need 117 to cross the magic number. It must win at least five seats in the bye-election to be safe.

But, as rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran has been saying, the government could still be under pressure if his “sleeper cells” are activated and some MLAs jump ship. It is perhaps reading the political situation, Rajinikanth came out with his announcement that has led to excite among his fans clubs.

Already three AIADMK MLAs turned independent and there is no guarantee they would for the government if there is a floor test for any reason.

“I will contest assembly elections, all 234 seats, if and when they are held. I am ready for them,” Rajinikanth told media persons. The current term of the present government comes to an end in 2021.

But this is not a new announcement as he had made similar declarations in the past as well. He had earlier also said he would enter electoral politics in assembly elections in 2021.