Date:20/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/20/stories/2008102057060400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

YSR holds talks with stars

Special Correspondent

Congress plans to rope in actors for poll campaign

STAR SUPPORT: Members of the Telugu film industry with APCC president D. Srinivas in Hyderabad on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: The Congress is chalking out a plan to utilise the services of the stars from the Telugu film industry for its campaign in the next elections.

The idea is to bring all the Congress supporters in the film industry to a common platform and ensure that at least each film star spends at least a day in a week in one particular region for the party work.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and APCC president D. Srinivas along with Rajya Sabha member K.V. P. Ramachandra Rao on Sunday held detailed meeting with the film stars and those associated with the Telugu film industry.

Dr. Reddy during his interaction with APCC general secretary G. Adiseshagiri Rao, actors Jayasudha, Rajasekhar, Jeevitha, Giri Babu, Narasimha Raju, Vijayachander and Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam besides T. Atchi Reddy, S. V. Krishna Reddy and Tammareddy Bharadwaj sought more time from them for the campaign.

The film fraternity on their part agreed to coordinate their activity with the party leaders. They said the party supporters would hold discussions and see that they devoted at least three days in a month for the party.

Actors Jeevitha and Rajasekhar said they would first concentrate on touring Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari districts and then tour the other parts.