By Mohammed Siddique, TwoCircles.net,
July : The star war in Andhra Pradesh politics is intensifying by the day. Even as the Mega star of aTelugu screen Chiranjeevi is busy planning an early launch of his political party, his rival actor in the Telugu filmdom Rajasekhar and his wife, producer director Jeevitha today formally joined the ruling Congress party.
Giving a fillip to the efforts of Congress party to garner as much as star power as possible ahead of the coming elections, Rajasekhar and Jeevitha said that they will be actively campaigning of the party in the elections. “If the party asks I am ready to fight elections”, he said. When asked whether he will contest against Chiranjeevi, he said, “it will depend on the party”.
Jeevitha, who is more articulate and assertive than the “action hero” Rajasekhar, said, “we are not coming in to politics and Congress party for any post. Our primary goal is to serve the poor and the needy”. But there are speculations that the she is going to be appointed as the chief of the women’s wing of the state Congress. She is expected to counter another actor and Telugu Desam women’s wing chief Roja.
“We have been planning to enter politics for a long time but we thought this is the most suitable time to do it”, Rajasekhar said. “We were overwhelmed by the sympathy and support we got from the people when were attacked by the fans of Chiranjeevi (a few months ago).
The importance Congress was giving to Rajasekhar’s enrolment in to the party was obvious form the fact that party’s national general secretary Veerappa Moily, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and the state Congress president D Srinivas were present on the occasion.
Moily today launched the membership drive of the state Congress as the party aims to enroll 50 lakh members in this election year.
Apart from Rajasekhar the Congress has also got commitment from another popular veteran actor Krishna to participate in electioneering, Krishna, once called the “James Bond of Telugu films”, was once elected as Congress MP in 1989. But people are more curious to know whether his son and current throb of Telugu cinegoers Mahesh Babu will also join Congress or campaign for the party.
While Telugu Desam has a surfeit of film glamour and Chandrababu Naidu’s relatives N Balakrishna and Junior NTR are ready to campaign for the party, the Congress is little short of the glamour. Producer director Dasari Narayan Rao, who used to mobilize support for Congress in Telugu film world is angry and lying low since he was dropped from the union cabinet and has said that he will not campaign for the party.
Chiranjeevi on the other hand will be the mast crowd puller for his party. He will also have a helping hand from his actor brothers Naga Babu and Pavan Kalyan. His party is also expected to attract a large number of stars given his clout in the industry.