The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : All eyes on Chiranjeevi’s August 26 public meeting

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Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

All eyes on Chiranjeevi’s August 26 public meeting

HYDERABAD: The Congress does not seem to be in a hurry to criticise the party being launched by film actor Chiranjeevi on August 26.

A day after Mr. Chiranjeevi announced his entry into politics, the Congress leaders were reluctant to react to the first press conference addressed by the actor. However, a section of the party leaders plan to watch the moves of the new party, while another set of leaders are already devising a strategy to take on the new party.

In tune with Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s remarks at the one-day training programme for the PCC delegates on Sunday that there was no need to criticise the new party, the leaders seem to have taken the hint and refrained from making any comments.

‘Too early to react’

However, the leaders are waiting for August 26, when Chiranjeevi is expected to spell out his party’s ideology and stand on various issues at the first public meeting in Tirupati. APCC spokesperson Paladugu Venkat Rao said it was too early to react to the new party. “It will take at least a month for the party to assess the political and caste polarisation that is likely to happen after Mr. Chiranjeevi spells out his policies.”

An MLA from Telangana said Mr. Chiranjeevi was not too convincing at his maiden press conference. “If we are to draw comparisons, the announcement by N. T. Rama Rao about forming the Telugu Desam Party had a lot of clarity. But, in this case, Mr. Chiranjeevi attempted to gain sympathy on the grounds that he was entering politics to fulfil the aspirations of the people,” added the leader who did not want to be named.

Government Chief Whip N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said Chiranjeevi’s party would only split the anti-incumbency votes, if any. “The more number of parties in the fray, more are the gains for the Congress.”

TRS keeps mum

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti rank and file has been strictly asked by its president K. Chandrasekhar Rao not to react to the entry into politics of Mr. Chiranjeevi.

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