The popular Telugu film star Chiranjeevi is the latest in a long list of film actors to be drawn to the dazzling world of politics. He will make his political baptism on his birth day August 2, though India's Independence Day on August 15 is also talked about as the suitable time for him to go public with his eight -month long plan to launch a political party.
Andhra Pradesh is by and large a two–party state with the Congress and the Telugu Desam started by thespian N T Rama Rao in 1983. The nucleus of Rao's party when it was launched was his Kamma community and his film fans but within in days he was able to reach out to all sections and came to power riding on the crust of his charisma. The NTR wave crushed the Congress then led by Indira Gandhi baffling political pundits.
Chiranjeevi's entry is seen as a threat to the Telugu Desam presently led by NTR's son-in-law Nara Chandrababu Nadu. Already several seniors and trusted colleagues of Naidu have resigned from the TDP and are waiting in the wings for a call from the new actor politician on the block. The Congress is also likely to suffer in the days ahead particularly when the dates for elections are announced, in the coastal districts which are dominated by Kapu community.
Chiranjeevi himself is a Kapu. And he hails from the coastal region.
He exudes confidence that he would repeat the NTR phenomenon. 'My party will sweep the next elections and come to power with an overwhelming majority', he told reporters in his first media interaction on his political plans. Hitherto his actor- brother Naga Babu and producer – brother-in-law Alu Aravind have been the public face of Chiranjeevi the politician in the making.
'I hope to win 225 of the 294 assembly seats and form my own government', Chiranjeevi told a questioner at his press conference in Hyderabad. He has not identified any particular constituency for himself. 'I can contest from any of the assembly seats across the state'.
As of now, Chiranjeevi is not fielding any questions on contentious issues that have bedevilled the TDP and the Congress. More particularly the demand for Telangana state comprising some nine backward but mineral rich districts around capital Hyderabad city. He is also keeping the counsel to himself on the oft heard demand for reservations to his Kapu community.
All he is willing to say for the present is that he would go by people's wishes. 'I will go in accordance with the aspirations and thinking of the people at large'.
Keeping the hopes alive of seniors from TDP and Congress knocking at his doors, the actor said a decision will be taken on case-by-case basis. "We will closely scrutinizing their past record".
Sources close to Chiranjeevi camp said that they have completed the preparations for the launch of the party by training cadres and holding district level brain storming sessions on local agenda. 'Our election campaign material is also ready', the sources said adding that they are ready to face the ballot box any time since the Manmohan Singh government is planning to advance the Lok Sabha election to December –January and the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections could be held simultaneously. These polls are due in May 2009.
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