Hunt for a safe seat for Chiru
Suresh Krishnamoorthy,
HYDERABAD:
As the launch of film actor Chiranjeevi's political party draws closer, his managers are busy zeroing on a *safe constituency' for him to make a *grand entry' into the portals of the Assembly in 2009.
Among options being actively considered are Palacole in West Godavari district, where his father-in-law and character actor, late Allu Ramalingaiah is domicile. It as also on the scanner because of the sizeable *kapu' population and the people's response for the meeting addressed by the star's brother, K. Nagendra Babu.
In fact, Mr. Chiranjeevi's inner circle is mulling the option of doing an *NTR' by contesting from one seat from each of the three regions to drive home the point that his popularity spans the entire State. In their reckoning are one costituency either in Nizamabad or Karimnagar district in Telangana, and Tirupati Assembly segment or some other in Anantapur district.
Telugu Mahila president Roja, who co-starred the actor in the box office hit, *Mutha Maistry', has declared that she was prepared to contest against the megastar. Ms. Roja had unsuccessfully contested from Nagari in Chittoor district on a TDP ticket in the 2004 Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, party work too has picked up speed and it is learnt that Mr. Chiranjeevi is holding meetings every night with the core planners including Mr. Nagendra Babu, brother-in-law Allu Aravind and advisors Dr. P. Mitra and Dr. A.P. Vittal and T.V. Rao. However, when contacted, Dr. Mitra said none in the party was authorised to speak anything on policy issues and even about politics.
Mr. Aravind's meeting on Wednesday with Chief Electoral Officer I.V. Subba Rao ended on a not-so-positive note. While party activists are on a State-wide drive to motivate people on voter enrolment between July 7 and 18, the Election Commission's deadline ends on July 14.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mitra is flying off to the UK on *urgent personal work'. Initially, he was said to be addressing a meeting of Telugu people from the North Eastern States of America including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, at The Royal Albert's Palace in New Jersey. However, it is not known if Dr. Mitra will participate through video-conference from London or Hyderabad.
(eom)
Friday, July 11, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Chiru - Nagababu!
Chiranjeevi's party to focuson “good governance”
We are ready for elections whenever they are held, says Nagababu
Suresh Krishnamoorthy
HYDERABAD: “We are ready for the elections whenever they are held,” said K. Nagendra Babu, about the political party being launched by his film star-brother K. Chiranjeevi next month.
Mr. Nagababu, as he is known, did not agree with the suggestion that the timeframe between the party's launch (likely in August) and the elections was too short to gear up the cadre. “Lakhs of film fans and supporters of my brother are already working behind the screen,” the actor said in response to a question about the categorical announcement of Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy that the general elections would be held after March 2009.
He dismissed with disdain the opinions expressed in certain quarters that there was no political vacuum for the megastar to fill as in 1982 when N. T. Rama Rao launched the Telugu Desam Party and rode to power, all in nine months. “Only journalists, intellectuals, critics and some political leaders are of this view. We will prove them wrong,” he said in an interview on the sets of the Telugu film “Sarkar” directed by Kodi Ramakrishna, even as several aspirants from Kurnool looking for a role in the new political set up waited for an audience.
Mr. Nagababu, who is a key member of Chiranjeevi's core team handling *public response', justified it by saying people badly wanted a change. “I have visited every district, except Nellore and Nizamabad. The attendance and reaction at my meetings, especially from youth and women, were overwhelming though I am not a star myself. It clearly reveals that people are anxiously waiting to hear my brother speak.”
Draft policies
The burly actor said Mr. Chiranjeevi was devoting considerable time and energy to the party's draft policies and on the logistics of setting the new party rolling. Asked what the party had to offer to people, he quipped, “good governance” which meant different things to different sections.
Mr. Nagababu declined to spell out his party's stand on Telangana, the support he expected from the backward class community and on the date of the party's launch, saying they were ready with policies. But, these would be announced by *anna' (elder brother) as he alone was “big enough” to speak.
We are ready for elections whenever they are held, says Nagababu
Suresh Krishnamoorthy
HYDERABAD: “We are ready for the elections whenever they are held,” said K. Nagendra Babu, about the political party being launched by his film star-brother K. Chiranjeevi next month.
Mr. Nagababu, as he is known, did not agree with the suggestion that the timeframe between the party's launch (likely in August) and the elections was too short to gear up the cadre. “Lakhs of film fans and supporters of my brother are already working behind the screen,” the actor said in response to a question about the categorical announcement of Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy that the general elections would be held after March 2009.
He dismissed with disdain the opinions expressed in certain quarters that there was no political vacuum for the megastar to fill as in 1982 when N. T. Rama Rao launched the Telugu Desam Party and rode to power, all in nine months. “Only journalists, intellectuals, critics and some political leaders are of this view. We will prove them wrong,” he said in an interview on the sets of the Telugu film “Sarkar” directed by Kodi Ramakrishna, even as several aspirants from Kurnool looking for a role in the new political set up waited for an audience.
Mr. Nagababu, who is a key member of Chiranjeevi's core team handling *public response', justified it by saying people badly wanted a change. “I have visited every district, except Nellore and Nizamabad. The attendance and reaction at my meetings, especially from youth and women, were overwhelming though I am not a star myself. It clearly reveals that people are anxiously waiting to hear my brother speak.”
Draft policies
The burly actor said Mr. Chiranjeevi was devoting considerable time and energy to the party's draft policies and on the logistics of setting the new party rolling. Asked what the party had to offer to people, he quipped, “good governance” which meant different things to different sections.
Mr. Nagababu declined to spell out his party's stand on Telangana, the support he expected from the backward class community and on the date of the party's launch, saying they were ready with policies. But, these would be announced by *anna' (elder brother) as he alone was “big enough” to speak.
Chiru series!
We are not into hate politics: Dr. Mithra
HYDERABAD: “We are not into hate politics. We are not going to point fingers at anyone but only wish to show how the right things can be done for a better society”, said Dr. Mithra, known as ideologue to film actor Chiranjeevi's proposed political outfit.
He was addressing an impressive gathering of advocates from across the State at a meeting convened under the banner of the Lawyers' Forum here on Saturday.Dr. Mithra referred to Denmark, a country where 98 per cent of voters believed their Government was telling them the truth and asked, “Can we hope for a similar situation here in India?”. It was possible here too, starting with Andhra Pradesh.
The UK-returned gastro-enterologist said it was important for law and order to be maintained in any society. “Can we ever hope for big names to be behind bars if and when they were found guilty?”, he asked, citing the example of how Enron's top executives were jailed in the USA for cheating people.
Over a dozen representatives of bar associations from the districts, spoke on how successive Governments had literally *done nothing' for them. They said it was only a star like Mr. Chiranjeevi who could make a difference by promising social justice, equal representation to all sections of people, maintain law and order, make available basic health and education and implement welfare schemes.
Those present included prominent advocates Metta Chandrasekhar, Bachina Hanumantha Rao, G. Ramesh yadav and Bellamkonda Saibaba. Senior advocate G. Gangaiah Naidu, presided.(eom)
HYDERABAD: “We are not into hate politics. We are not going to point fingers at anyone but only wish to show how the right things can be done for a better society”, said Dr. Mithra, known as ideologue to film actor Chiranjeevi's proposed political outfit.
He was addressing an impressive gathering of advocates from across the State at a meeting convened under the banner of the Lawyers' Forum here on Saturday.Dr. Mithra referred to Denmark, a country where 98 per cent of voters believed their Government was telling them the truth and asked, “Can we hope for a similar situation here in India?”. It was possible here too, starting with Andhra Pradesh.
The UK-returned gastro-enterologist said it was important for law and order to be maintained in any society. “Can we ever hope for big names to be behind bars if and when they were found guilty?”, he asked, citing the example of how Enron's top executives were jailed in the USA for cheating people.
Over a dozen representatives of bar associations from the districts, spoke on how successive Governments had literally *done nothing' for them. They said it was only a star like Mr. Chiranjeevi who could make a difference by promising social justice, equal representation to all sections of people, maintain law and order, make available basic health and education and implement welfare schemes.
Those present included prominent advocates Metta Chandrasekhar, Bachina Hanumantha Rao, G. Ramesh yadav and Bellamkonda Saibaba. Senior advocate G. Gangaiah Naidu, presided.(eom)
New series on Chiru!
Sarve Janaa …', says Chiru
Suresh Krishnamoorthy, Special Correspondent.
HYDERABAD: *Sarve Janaa Sukhino Bhavanthu'. “That's all I wished for”, said a smiling megastar, to microphones thrust at him at a temple in Film Nagar early on Tuesday morning.
It was a rare case of K. Chiranjeevi stopping to talk to reporters, breaking his silence of the past few months ever since speculation on his political *arangetram' started doing the rounds.With wife Surekha and son Ramcharan, the star sat down for special poojas before Lord Prasannanjaneya at the temple complex, in the construction of which, film producer Rajendra Prasad was involved. The star participated in fourth anniversary of the temple complex.
As is usual, the visit was kept under wraps for all but the star's inner circles. However, a few shutterbugs and some television channel camera crews were also there to record the trip for posterity.When contacted later, the star's brother K. Naga Babu confirmed to The Hindu that they were busy firming up plans for Mr. Chiranjeevi's political entry and that the actual launch of the party would be in August.
“We in the family firmly believe in giving back to society and to people. Without our fans and people we know were are nowhere. And we are comfortable taking the political route to make a difference in the lives of the poor and downtrodden”, he said. However, he said *most finer details' that were doing the rounds in media circles were not true.
Asked about the proposed political party's flags, Mr. Naga Babu said it was just a flag designed by an *over-zealous fan'. “When the electronic media laid hands on it, they went to town on it, that's all”, he quipped. Ditto was his take on other details that were *leaked' to the media, including the political agenda, its allies and on what its stand would be on the all-too-familiar Telangana issue.(eom)
Courtesy: The Hindu.
Suresh Krishnamoorthy, Special Correspondent.
HYDERABAD: *Sarve Janaa Sukhino Bhavanthu'. “That's all I wished for”, said a smiling megastar, to microphones thrust at him at a temple in Film Nagar early on Tuesday morning.
It was a rare case of K. Chiranjeevi stopping to talk to reporters, breaking his silence of the past few months ever since speculation on his political *arangetram' started doing the rounds.With wife Surekha and son Ramcharan, the star sat down for special poojas before Lord Prasannanjaneya at the temple complex, in the construction of which, film producer Rajendra Prasad was involved. The star participated in fourth anniversary of the temple complex.
As is usual, the visit was kept under wraps for all but the star's inner circles. However, a few shutterbugs and some television channel camera crews were also there to record the trip for posterity.When contacted later, the star's brother K. Naga Babu confirmed to The Hindu that they were busy firming up plans for Mr. Chiranjeevi's political entry and that the actual launch of the party would be in August.
“We in the family firmly believe in giving back to society and to people. Without our fans and people we know were are nowhere. And we are comfortable taking the political route to make a difference in the lives of the poor and downtrodden”, he said. However, he said *most finer details' that were doing the rounds in media circles were not true.
Asked about the proposed political party's flags, Mr. Naga Babu said it was just a flag designed by an *over-zealous fan'. “When the electronic media laid hands on it, they went to town on it, that's all”, he quipped. Ditto was his take on other details that were *leaked' to the media, including the political agenda, its allies and on what its stand would be on the all-too-familiar Telangana issue.(eom)
Courtesy: The Hindu.
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