Actors to try luck in politics

Hyderabad: As has been the norm for decades in South India, politics is a great alternative career for cine artistes. In the coming elections too all major political parties will be fielding cine artistes. Famous comedian Ali wants to contest to the Assembly from his hometown Rajahmundry. Recently he met Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu and expressed his desire to contest from Rajahmundry, but Mr Naidu asked him to contest from Guntur instead.

Famous director Puri Jagannadh’s brother, P. Ganesh, will contest from the Narsipatnam Assembly constituency in Visakhapatnam district as a YSR Congress candidate. According to sources, the YSRC leadership had initially asked Puri Jagannadh’s wife to contest from the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency but the director rejected the proposal and instead proposed that his brother should contest. The party bosses relented and gave the Narsipatnam ticket to Mr Ganesh.

Another artiste, Sharatbabu, wants to contest from the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency on a BJP ticket. Meanwhile, late actor Srihari’s wife and former actress Shanti wants to contest from the Ranga Reddy district as a Congress candidate. Lyricist Jonnavittula Rama Lingeswar Rao, meanwhile, recently joined the BJP and will contest from the Vijayawada Central Assembly constituency.

Another famous lyricist, Sirivennala Sitarama Sastry, has extended his support to the Loksatta party. Actor Jeevitha Rajasekhar, who also recently joined the BJP, is interested in contesting in the next elections too. Superstar Pavan Kalyan is ready to launch his political career. While he wanted to float an outfit of his own, his associates advised him that it would be better to join an existing party like the AAP or Lok Satta. Pawan’s close friend and famous director, Trivikram Srinivas, is the son-in-law of lyricist Sirivennala Sitarama Sastry who supports Loksatta. Sources close to Pawan say that if he decides not to float a political party, he might join Loksatta.

There were also speculations that actor and former MP M. Mohan Babu might make a reentry into politics and join TD or BJP. Sources say that while the chances of Mohan Babu reentering politics are slim. But his daughter, actress and producer Manchu Laxmi, may contest from the Chittoor Assembly seat as a YSRC candidate.

Former Union minister and cine artiste Krishnam Raju has recently rejoined the BJP. Raju was elected from the Narsapur Lok Sabha constituency twice on a BJP ticketm, and he was also a Union minister from 1999 to 2004. He had, however, kept away from politics for a while