In a significant political development, Megastar Chiranjeevi Konidela, giving up his political silence for over 10 years, has appealed to the people of Andhra Pradesh to vote for NDA candidates, ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state.
He openly extended his support to NDA following BJP Lok Sabha candidate C M Ramesh and Panchakarla Ramesh Babu, Jana Sena candidate from Pendurthi assembly, met him at his residence in Hyderabad on Sunday and sought his support.
Though he has been extending his moral support to his brother Pawan Kalyan and his Jana Sena party, he never endorsed brother’s political activity openly. Only recently he conveyed his blessings to his brother, who is contesting from Pithapuram assembly seat and handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh towards election expenses.
At the time of AP bifurcation in 2014, he was in the Congress-led Union Cabinet and after bifurcation he is keeping silence politically and concentrating on his film career. SO, AP Congress Committee is claiming that technically he is still a member of the Congress party, as he didn’t resign from the party.
In a video statement, he was seen asking people to support NDA candidates CM Ramesh and Panchakarla Ramesh Babu. “After years of political disinterest, I’m back discussing politics, spurred by the alliance between the Jana Sena, TDP, and the BJP,” he said.
He further said: “For the development of Andhra Pradesh, consider voting for NDA candidates, especially my close associates CM Ramesh and Panchakarla Ramesh Babu.”
Meanwhile, speculations are going on that he is likely to participate in his brother Pawan Kalyan’s campaign in Pithapuram at the fag end. As Kapu community is a politically sensitive and predominant community in the state and Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy is making all efforts to divide that community, Chiranjeevi is said to be facing pressures from his own community to open up at this crucial time.
