Date:14/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/14/stories/2008081459410800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Congress “watching” Chiru’s moves

Anxiety among coastal leaders; the only leader to back new party is Harirama Jogaiah

Congress expects defections into Chiranjeevi’s party from the TDP
Some party leaders likely to let their kin join the film star’s party

HYDERABAD: With Chiranjeevi all set to launch his political party some time this month, Congress leaders seem to be adopting a wait and watch policy.

While the yet-to-be floated party is already ringing alarm bells in other parties with some leaders openly pledging their support to it, the situation in the Congress is different.

Narsapur MP Chegondi Harirama Jogaiah is the only leader to openly support Chiranjeevi’s party so far, while others are keeping their fingers crossed, at least, for the time being. The new party is causing considerable anxiety among leaders from Coastal Andhra, while those from Rayalaseema and Telangana are not perturbed much.

As senior functionaries in the Congress feel that large-scale defections into the new party will be from the TDP, they may knock off a considerable number of Assembly and Lok Sabha seats on behalf of the new party. In such an event, Congress leaders, seeking tickets from those constituencies, will think twice before switching sides. However, sources say, the new party may become a haven for those failing to get nominated by the Congress.

Party sources said some Congress leaders, including Ministers and MLAs, want to test the waters by sending their kin to join the new party. A Minister’s brother is said to be angling for an Assembly ticket in North Coastal Andhra district, if the Congress fails to consider his name.

Another Minister is said to be toying with the idea of sending his son into the new party. Similarly, a close relative of a Kapu MLA from West Godavari district is eyeing a parliamentary seat in North Coastal Andhra.

Dominant presence

A few Congress legislators said some communities with dominant presence in some pockets of Coastal Andhra may rally behind Chiranjeevi, causing anxiety to the ruling party. They hope that apart from Kapus, communities like Balija, Ontari and other sub-castes among the Kapus may sail with Chiranjeevi.

A few other Congress leaders are waiting to see the response to the proposed series of public meetings planned by the actor. The next course of action will depend on the outcome of the meetings. Some party leaders belonging to the Kapu community have conceded that they are under pressure from the cadres to join the new party.