The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Chiranjeevi announces entry into politics; party name on Aug. 26

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Monday, Aug 18, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Chiranjeevi announces entry into politics; party name on Aug. 26

S. Nagesh Kumar

Says ex-President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the driving force for his plunge

— Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

Arriving in style: Matinee idol Chiranjeevi arrives for his maiden press conference to announce the launch of his political party in Hyderabad on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: Telugu film star K. Chiranjeevi created ripples in Andhra Pradesh politics on Sunday by declaring his resolve to enter politics and dedicate the rest of life to the service of the poor who, he said, had been deprived of the fruits of development.

Breaking his eight-month-long silence over his political plans, he said it would be “a historical blunder” if he failed to respond to the call of the people at a time when politics had become the hunting ground of selfish persons.

Chiranjeevi’s makeover from a movie hero with 138 films behind him to a politician happened at a crowded press conference at his new party office on Sunday. He made the surprising disclosure that former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was the driving force behind his decision to join politics though he drew inspiration from the late N. T. Rama Rao too.

Kalam’s advice

It was Dr. Kalam who had urged him to look beyond his film career since people had a poor opinion of politicians and when capable people were keeping away from politics. The former President had recalled his interaction with students in Chandigarh, almost all of who wanted to become doctors, engineers, scientists, IAS and IPS officers but only a handful were willing to join politics.

Chiranjeevi withheld the announcement of his party’s name, the design and colour of his flag and, more importantly, his political agenda. He would announce these at a public meeting at Tirupati on August 26 coinciding with Mother Teresa’s birth anniversary. The party would be pro-poor and strive to bridge the ever-widening rich-poor gulf besides seeking the support of youth, women and all weaker sections.

All-round enthusiasm

Fans and political followers of the ‘mega star’, who have been anxiously waiting for him to take the plunge, greeted the announcement with wild enthusiasm. They burst crackers and took out rallies across the State after watching live footage of the press conference on large TV screens positioned at public places.

Fielding questions with aplomb at his maiden interaction, Mr. Chiranjeevi said he was convinced that there was a political vacuum (for him to fill) in the State. “How else do you account for the huge response from the people. People want a change. Otherwise, I will not be here,” he said.

The actor, however, skirted replies to crucial questions about his stand on Telangana and Maoist violence saying that the party would analyse these “sensitive” issues in a scientific manner and respond. Asked who he considered his main rival – Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy or Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu -- he said “I have no rivals. All have contributed to the society. My rivalry is with poverty, hunger and their underlying factors.”

Link with films

On tie-ups with other political parties, he said he would forge alliances, if necessary, but there was no thinking on it now.

He said it would be difficult for him to bid goodbye to the film industry with which he was associated for 30 years though he would not mind acting in educative films that served public good.

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