Chennai, Sep 13 - The Congress party's effort to attract star value to its Tamil Nadu unit received a setback with leading Tamil film hero Vijay declaring Sunday he did not intend to join politics in the near future.

'I have decided not to join any political party for now. In future I will join hands with a party in power that works for the welfare of Tamils across the world,' Vijay told reporters here.

Speculation was rife in the state about the actor joining the Congress after his meeting with party general secretary Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi last month. It was expected that he would formally join the party during Gandhi's three-day Tamil Nadu tour last week.