Chiru makes political entry

Hyderabad, Aug 17 (HT): Megastar Chiranjeevi on Sunday formally announced his entry into politics, with assembly polls just eight months away. Amid scenes of celebrations by his fans, the 53-year-old Megastar made the announcement at his new party office in Jubilee Hills here, ending a year-long speculation over his political plans.

"It was Kalam’s counsel that inspired me to take the final decision. I would have committed a historic blunder had I not entered politics," the mega star said at a crowded press conference.

Chiranjeevi said electoral tie-ups would be considered later and claimed he had no enemies- "I have no rivals in politics. My enemies are poverty and backwardness. I will pursue positive politics focused on the poor.” He said the people would decide his role after elections. He was vague about which constituency he would contest from.

Thanking his well-wishers, the actor said he would try to remove the sufferings of the poor. Pro-poor policies and social justice will be the party’s main agenda, he said.

He said he wasn’t quitting films but was open to only educational and meaningful ones. On declaring his assets, the actor said he had filed his income tax returns and it could be accessed with the help of the RTI act.

On several issues like the precise reasons for kickstarting a political party, his views on a separate Telangana state, the issue of Naxalism, on the relevance of Congress and TDP, Chiranjeevi parried replies saying they were "sensitive issues" and he would react at an "appropriate time".

The party’s name and agenda would be unveiled at the party’s maiden public meeting at Tirupati on August 26, coinciding with Mother Teresa’s birth anniversary.

Interestingly, Chiranjeevi paid rich tributes to NT Rama Rao,the founder of Telugu Desam Party, for having inspired him in more than one way.

Chiranjeevi, in true filmy style, referred to two suicide notes — one by a home guard and another by an IT couple who lamented that they were embracing death without having got a chance to vote for him. He also bowed his head before intellectuals, artists, women and students, who had urged him to join politics and declared that it would be a blunder not to respond to their invitation.

Pressed on how he would react to difficult issues, Chiranjeevi said his sensitivity would be his strength. "Being sensitive, I can understand the pain of the people better than the present day politicians."

State politics has largely remained bipolar and the new party is expected to cause an exodus from both the Congress and the TDP.

Even as Chiranjeevi held forth his views, Congress MP Ch Harirama Jogiah resigned and said he would join the new party, criticising the way the Congress was run by chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.