The neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh is witness to poll battles of a different kind. Though film stars are becoming quite active in politics a la Hemamalini, Jayaprada, Jayabacchan, Dharmendra, to name a few, Tamilnadu and Andhrapradesh have had filmstar chief ministers.Chances are chiranjeevi may repeat the feat which was firsr pulled off by that demigod of telugu screen, NTRamarao.
The kind of reception Chiranjeevi, the megastar, is getting on his statewide tour has made others, especially the Telugu Desam Party under Sree Chandrababu Naidu, nervous.To contain this new wave of support for Prajarajyam party, for that is Chiranjeevi’s flagship, Naidu has brought in Balakrishna, his brotherinlaw and son of NTR.The families are united in wedlock again at the second generation level.Balakrishna is a popular hero in films and carries the halo of NTR.Besides, he is a kamma naidu, one of the dominant castes in A.ndhra Pradesh.The other is reddy.Dr Rajasekhara Reddy is only half reddy.He is the chief minister and belongs to the Congress.
Chiranjeevi is a Kapu ( agriculturist ) by caste but is married to a Kamma.In case he is returned to power he will be a pioneer of sorts for his caste interests besides being the harbinger of hope for others too.
In films, he is a dogooder who takes on the mighty and humbles them. Reel life and real life are different though the example in tamilnadu almost makes it appear as one.In fact NTR himself realised too late in the day that he cannot always carry on as the hero.He was ousted in a democratic coup by his own soninlaw, chandrababu Naidu.His Crime:the crime of passion .A widower then, he publicised his love for Lakshmi Parvati and her son by the previous marriage at a convention.
In Tamilnadu, however, for years now the choice has alternated between DMK and ADMK, the latter started by M.GRamachandran when he fell out with Karunanidhi.Enter Rajnikanth , the superstar. He has kept his options openHe is now on a statewide tour .If the response is good and he feels that his entry would help people, he might take the plunge.He appears to be swayed by chiranjeevi’s example.
Karnataka has not yet thrown up a glamour king or queen who is also acceptable to people as their leader. stray instances are there of film stars making good but not at the leadership level.An example of reel life reflected in real life is "mukhyamantri Chandru’.Mukhyamantri in Kannada means chief minister.He enacted that role in a film and has earned that sobriquet .Even the media refers to him that way.
Analysts feel that Chiranjeevi may romp home .If that happens, he may also play an effective role as catalyst at the national level.