The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : I will join party if floated by Chiranjeevi: Congress MP

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Sunday, Jan 06, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

I will join party if floated by Chiranjeevi: Congress MP

HYDERABAD: Even before film star Chiranjeevi has unveiled plans to enter politics, the Congress party finds itself in an embarrassing situation with Narsapur MP Ch. Harirama Jogaiah declaring that he would join the ‘proposed’ party.

Mr. Jogaiah’s announcement came in reaction to AP Congress Committee in-charge president G. S. Rao seeking an explanation from him for his controversial statement that people would overwhelmingly support Chiranjeevi for the Chief Minister’s post if the star entered politics. The Congress MP also dared the party to serve a show-cause notice on him.

The PCC president earlier launched a frontal attack on Mr. Jogaiah accusing him of being an ‘opportunist’, who would not hesitate to hop from one party to another. Questioning his moral right to make such comments against the Government, Mr. Rao said Mr. Jogaiah was keen on joining the film star’s party. “He wants to occupy the first row in the new party,” the APCC chief quipped.

Accusing the MP of being ‘power hungry’, Mr. Rao said the party was ‘ashamed’ of his conduct. Meanwhile, there was all-round condemnation in the Congress of Mr. Jogaiah’s statement and activists of the AP Mahila Congress burnt his effigy in front of Gandhi Bhavan. Roads and Buildings Minister T. Jeevan Reddy asserted that there would be no impact of Chiranjeevi’s entry into politics. He advised the film star to join the Congress Party instead. In Visakhapatnam, Union Minister of State for Women and Child Welfare Renuka Chowdary said there was no political vacuum in the State akin to when N.T. Rama Rao launched the Telugu Desam in 1983. Commenting on Chiranjeevi’s plans to enter politics, she said only M.G. Ramachandran and NTR could convert their popularity as film stars to political advantage and that no other star might be able to repeat it. However, it was good to have many parties in a democratic system.

The Minister dubbed Mr. Jogaiah’s comments ‘funny’, pointing out that all those who had started their own parties ultimately joined the Congress.

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