Another act unfolds

When Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi got in touch with the BJP leadership through his emissaries recently, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu didn’t want to be left out of the loop. Andhra Pradesh, after all, is Naidu’s home turf where he has been active since his ABVP days. Chiranjeevi, who hopes to do an NTR in the state, has been testing the waters—he’s also got in touch with the BSP and a Left constituent—before taking the plunge, possibly in a couple of months. When asked about the talks, Naidu prefers not to say a word. Even if nothing emerges from the talks, the saffron party hopes to gain from the anti-Congress tilt of the superstar’s party as and when it’s launched.