Third front hero raises hopes

 

 

Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi’s entry into politics has been ruminated over by many groups. Though he never could make up his mind on the issue and continued his trademark ‘conspiracy of silence’, sudden feelers are now being sent out. Though he has come out with an ambiguous letter to counter the over enthusiasm of so-called alternative parties, taking up the cause of the downtrodden and to pacify overwhelmed fans, he is almost set to announce the launch of his own party in the Uttarayanam (after Pongal).

Chiranjeevi belongs to the Kapu community, which constitutes 28% of the State’s population. By doing so he intends to create a third alternative to the Congress and the TDP, dominated by the Kamma and Reddy communities. Clearly, Chiranjeevi has been a rallying point for the Kapu community for long.

FACTFILE

BCs, SCs and STs who deserved to be in power for 38.6 years, only got 2.1 years in power

Chiranjeevi has become the rallying point for 'communities kept away from power'



Former Chief Secretary and Dalit IAS officer Kaki Madhavarao, along with Dalit intellectuals like Kancha Illaiah, established Forum for Empowerment of Weaker Sections and came up with statistics on power share. It says that the Reddy community, which constitutes 5.9% of the total population and deserves to be in power for three years in 55 years of state rule, ruled the state for 32 years (referring to Chief Ministers). Similarly, the 3.6% Kamma community, eligible for two years, ruled for over 15 years. BCs (52%), SCs (15%) and STs (7.5%) who deserved to be in power for 38.6 years, only ruled for 2.1 years (Damodara Sanjeevaiah) and now want the superstar to lead the new front of “socially suppressed sections”.

With elections just a year away, ‘unity’ among ‘politically neglected sections’ is the latest buzzword in political circles and new alliances are mushrooming within the political domains of the state. There have also been attempts to align the deprived sections by many; Madhava Rao, senior High Court advocate and former Advocate General, S. Ramchander Rao, MLC and entrepreneur Kasani Gyaneswar Mudiraj, Balladeer Gaddar and actress Vijayashanti. Left parties are also eyeing Chiranjeevi for a third front, anti-Congress and anti-TDP.

But what made Chiranjeevi plunge into politics? As per sources, it was the depressing domestic front that made him jump into the political bandwagon.