Founder of Praja Rajayam Party and Southern superstar star to quit movies, seeks seat in UPA-II cabinet
Founder of Praja Rajayam Party and Southern superstar star to quit movies, seeks seat in UPA-II cabinet
Telugu mega star Chiranjivi has set his eyes on ministerial berth even as reshuffle of the central cabinet is on cards. While he has announced he would no longer act in films, the star-turned politician is expecting a return favour from the Congress high command for merging Praja Rajyam Party and adding its number to the assembly, to save the Congress government in Andhra Pardesh that was unstable because of the rebel led by Jagan Reddy.
At madam's command? Praja Rajyam party chief Chiranjivi (right) with
Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily in New Delhi. The actor told the
media that he was ready to serve the Congress high command in every
possible manner
Talking to MiD DAY, Chiranjivi said, "I have taken a pledge to serve people and my film career must not come in the way. So I have decided to quit films. I will be a fulltime politician dedicating life to social service."
Though he did not comment on his probably entry into the Cabinet, Chiranjivi said he was ready to serve the Congress in every possible manner the high command expected him to.
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The popular southern star, who also made fame in Hindi films such as Aaj Ka Gundaraj, Gentleman, had floated a political party- Praja Rajyam Party- before the last assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh. He could not make a big breakthrough in politics as his party could acquire only 18 seats in the assembly out of the strength of 294, thereafter he merged the party with the Congress.
And the association came handy for the ruling party with the strength of 156 alongside Jagan Reddy, who was snubbed by the party high command for aspiring the chief minister post after his father late CM YS Rajashekara Reddy's tragic death.u00a0
Jagan, who claims the support of some current 20 Congress MLAs along with his legislator mother, has launched a political party ufffd YSR Congress.
While the threat of him pulling his loyalists out of the Congress lingers, Chiranjivi's strength still remains.
A senior congress leader said, "It was an understanding, the party arrived with Chiranjivi, when the latter had merged Prajya Rajyam with the Congress and accordingly he is expected to be inducted in the central cabinet."
The reshuffle of the cabinet is expected in the first week of July and Chirnajivi is understood to have been lobbying for some four ministerial berths for his supporters in the state cabinet while the high command is expected to agree for two. (With inputs from Hyderabad: Md. Abdul Basit )
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