Releasing next week

Chiranjeevi, with a brilliant career in films but with only ‘rumours’ and ‘intentions’ about politics over the past year and more, was threatening to go the Nageswar Rao way. Was he just a filmstar, with the potential to occupy political space but never seriously seeking it? However, with a party (named Swayamkrushi ? Praja Party ?) due to be launched on Mother Teresa’s birthday next week, ‘Chiru’ hopes to cross the Rubicon. However (the other megastar who made it ) NT Rama Rao’s entry, aspiration and the historical moment he chose to take the plunge, was in a largely one-party environment; things are different today. In the 1980s, NTR could take the angry, injured proud Andhra Pradesh high ground, Chiranjeevi, perhaps less dominated by gut, more by what pollsters/ agencies/ focus groups and ‘assessments’ are telling him, is walking into a more complex environment. The Congress is ruling, the TDP is the principal opposition party (the war between the two parties is also a fight between already empowered Reddys and more recently empowered Khammas), the BJP is around, keen to make itself relevant, the Left has been there historically and is still seen as a valuable ally and, of course, the TRS has raised issues which if not burning, have certainly complicated matters for political formations in the state, forcing all to script a line in their manifestos on ‘Telengana’.

Not much is known about exactly what Chiranjeevi will say in Tirupati, there is speculation that his flag would be three colours; red, green and blue, and that he is seeking ‘blessings’ of all before the launch. But some things are clear. Chiranjeevi is a Kapu, an agrarian caste that is said to be the largest in the state — nearly one-fourth of the state’s population. Kapus are analogous to the Kurmis in the north, the caste Bihar’s chief minister hails from. But this caste has somehow been bypassed over the years, as Brahmins, Reddys and Khammas dominated the political leadership. Chiranjeevi is said to see the backwards, tribals, Dalits, landless and the poor, as his catchment area. Being one of a caste that is the most numerous in the state may seem like a big plus, but there is a rider here. Unlike the Brahmins, Reddys or Khammas (who despite being far fewer in number have dominated as they function like cohesive interest groups in the state), the Kapus are a disunited lot. In the Telengana and Rayalseema regions of the state, they are economically backward with poor political representation in elected position; in the Andhra region, in contrast, they are part of the ‘forward’ caste combination and better off. Chiranjeevi will have to work extra hard to overcome these sharp divisions and try and attract many more caste and interest groups to knit together a non-Reddy, non-Khamma combine.

Born as Konidela Siva Sankara Vara Prasad, he found it useful to change his name to ‘Chiranjeevi’, another name for Lord Hanuman. Chiru may be a Hanuman bhakt like Mulayam Singh Yadav, but he seems to be learning more from Mayawati’s brand of politics. He talks of empowering those without a political voice despite numbers in the state. The Congress, TDP and the BJP are worried by his call to take on ‘old’ Andhra Pradesh style politics. He appears keen to tie up with a force that can provide him with some sense of a political structure that his charisma can then try to power. The Left is watching keenly and even L. K. Advani found it fit to ring him up to congratulate him. Perhaps Chiru would want to be single-minded and focused on his vote bank, so it can be used as a fungible asset on the table, when political power is to be apportioned after the polls. Its not too long a wait before we find out. This Chiranjeevi starrer will be released before Friday – its slated for a Tuesday release.

seema.chishtiexpressindia.com