Chiranjeevi: The megastar in a supporting role

His start in politics had been encouraging. In the early months,Chiranjeevi’s ideals and the principles on which the party was founded attracted IAS and IPS officers,retired government officers,social activists,judicial officers and political leaders. He received rousing receptions wherever he went in the state,causing worries to the ruling Congress and the Telugu Desam Party.

The first signs of a downfall showed nine months later,his party winning a mere 18 of 294 Assembly seats (it contested 293) in May 2009. Chiranjeevi himself had mixed luck,winning from Tirupati but losing from Palacole in West Godavari,his home district. Because of his popularity as a “megastar of Tollywood”,his election tours had caused near stampedes,but the election results showed that he did not click politically.

He put up a brave face,accepting the defeat and promising to work for the welfare of the backward classes. But then his flock started to dwindle. Long-time associates like Dr P Mitra Reddy and Parakala Prabhakar,who had helped him lay the groundwork for the party,were among the first to quit. They were followed by T Devender Goud,who went back to the TDP. Over the last few months,22 leaders have quit the PRP,leaving Chiranjeevi practically on his own. Sources say he was very upset at hints dropped by some of his MLAs that they may switch loyalties to Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and that they were just waiting for the latter to launch a party.

Besides,his stand on Telangana (he does not favour division) has not gone down well in the region,where he is not welcomed anymore.

After the signs of May 2009,the first indication of the party itself winding up came last year on August 22,Chiranjeevi’s 56th birthday,when he expressed a desire to return to films. Indeed,sources say,several filmmakers have been lining up to sign him up for what would be his 150th film in a career spanning 30 years.

Events over the last few months made it clear that Chiranjeevi’s political career would depend on how he could boost the numbers of other parties. The Congress started lobbying for his support in the event of Jagan Mohan causing a split. Chiranjeevi,who had disappeared from all political events except for attending Assembly sessions,spelt out his stand: his party would support the Congress government,then headed by K Rosaiah,should the Jagan Mohan threat reduce it to a minority.

When Rosaiah resigned,the Congress sought his support to new Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in case MLAs loyal to Jagan Mohan Reddy dcided to quit. Chiranjeevi is believed to have asked for Cabinet berths in return for his support,but that situation did not come up as a Congress Legislature Party meeting decided to authorise Sonia Gandhi to appoint the new chief minister.

After Jagan Mohan resigned as Kadapa MP and quit the Congress,the PRP kept its options open,hoping for an alliance with the Congress if the new government should need support. The Congress,for its part,kept the PRP on tenterhooks. It kept the party as an option to bail it out of trouble,and has finally decided to use that option.

Either a merger or partnership would have strengthened the Congress ahead of the launch of Jagan Mohan’s party. At a meeting of the PRP last week,MLAs and leaders left to him the decision to merge or become a partner.

“I think it is in the good interest of both parties to merge. The PRP has some good leaders and we will work to strengthen the Congress,” said senior PRP leader K Vidhyadhara Rao.

RISE & FALL
26 August 2008
Praja Rajyam Party gets grand launch at Tirupati on birth anniversary of Mother Teresa,whom Chiranjeevi idolises
27 August 2008
Brother-in-law Allu Aravind,producer-distributor,joins; brother K Pawan Kalyan,filmstar,takes charge of youth wing
16 May 2009
PRP wins 18 of 293 seats contested. Chiranjeevi wins one seat (Tirupati) but loses election in other (Palacole,West Godavari)
20 June 2009
Dr P Mithra Reddy,close aide,quits party; followed by former Union minister U Krishnam Raju and Hariram Jogaiah,then others
26 August 2009
On first anniversary of PRP launch,Chiranjeevi dismisses reports about efforts towards a merger with the Congress
30 May 2010
Chiranjeevi meets Sonia Gandhi and agrees to support Congress in Rajya Sabha elections
22 August 2010
Chiranjeevi expresses a desire to return to films. Directors and producers line up to sign him up for what would be his 150th film
1 February 2011
Defence Minister A K Antony arrives in Hyderabad to invite Chiranjeevi for a meeting with Sonia Gandhi
2 February 2011
Chiranjeevi calls a meeting of PRP leaders who authorise him to decide whether to ally or merge with Congress
6 February 2011
Chiranjeevi decides on merger