The rumors that Chiru would join hands with, if not merge into, Congress have been making rounds since a long time. On the surface of it, there is no valid reason for Chiru to go into alliance with Congress. Assembly elections are four years away.
Chiru has come out in public as the only political leader (apart from CPM party) in favor of ‘United AP’. Since integrationists are in majority in the state, Chiru can enjoy their confidence and if voting takes place on those lines in forthcoming local elections, he would be hailed as the only sincere political leader with conviction and come out victorious.
Chiru has no baggage as main opposition leader. So he can choose only selective programs (like Polavaram) and attract attention of fence-sitters. Chandrababu’s popularity is on wane because of his dual stand and YSR is not on the scene. There is a kind of vacuum is there and by careful planning, Chiru can fill it and emerge as most popular leader.
His ardent fans might have been disappointed for his not making to gaddi in 2009 elections. Compared to Vijayakanth in TN, Chiru performance cannot be written off. With all the pell-mell in the party and open derision by media, obtaining 17% of votes is no mean achievement.
Working on this base, Chiru could have mobilized masses by exposing corruption in Jalayagnam works etc. He could have asked his fans to participate in “Janmabhoomi” kind of social work to help reduce the cost of irrigation projects and see that they are completed quickly.
Before he started the party, his brother Nagubabu conducted series of conferences with different sections of intelligentsia and colleted their views. There is no news what happened to all those papers submitted during those sessions. People like me expected that they would come out with certain policy guidelines based on discussions taken place there. In 1983, NTR was aided by some best brains to introduce some innovative programs. I thought similar exercise was being done in 2008. By combining such brain power with Chiru’s charisma, I thought PRP would bring about a change total election process with novel approach.
But nothing of that kind happened. Once the election date was announced, it was just like any other political party we have been witnessing over the decades. Not announcing the candidates till the last moment; changing them overnight; allegations of ticket-selling; coverts, counter-coverts; fantastic claims of creating a wave…whatnot. It was the usual farce.
No clarity on any point. I really could not make out what is Social Telengana. Can there be Unsocial Telengana also? Chiru could not specifically say whether he was for division of state or not. He tried to hide behind some jugglery of words and being a gentleman-politician he could not do it perfectly.
So voters were confused and rejected his theory. And again too much emphasis on BC votes etc. as if other sections of electorate do not matter. In every election we hear this Dalit, Minority, BC, Women.. mantras. Once the election is over, same old setup rules. So even BCs are skeptical and watchful. Chiru did not realize this and went on harping on it.
And look what happened. He lacked cutting edge and as the days went by, lost his luster. It was a disgrace for a megastar like Chiru to lose in his home district. Tirupati saved him. Otherwise he would have ended like Sivaji Ganesan when he floated his party TMC.
After the election results, Chiru has shown his courage by continuing in politics. He did not run back to movies. Again during December 2009, he displayed his guts by taking a stand on integration. He took up Polavaram issue and by working relentlessly like this he would have made a mark. By 2014 he could have evolved as a strongman in AP politics worth reckoning because his party would have won some municipalities and corporations on its own meanwhile. If Congress or TDP were to look for tie-up with him in 2014 elections, he would have tough bargaining power.
But suddenly Chiru took a short route. He opted to align himself with Congress by supporting their RS candidates. What is he getting in return? Some goodwill, PRP says. And he announces that they are going to collaborate with Congress in local body elections. This he said even before the decision whether or not to conduct those elections on party lines was taken. Did he presume that Congress workers and ticket aspirants feel happy about it? (to be contd.)
MBS Prasad
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