In a development, which can upset other political parties’ calculations in Andhra Pradesh, yet another popular Telugu film actor Nagarjuna has pledged his support to BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Days after actor-turned-politician and founder of Jana Sena Party Pawan Kalyan met the Gujarat Chief Minister in Gandhinagar, Nagarjuna landed there to meet Advani.Sources close to the star said that the meeting was a result of several rounds of behind-the-scenes discussions Nagarajuna had with other BJP leaders. “Venkaiah Naidu Garu has played a pivotal role in bringing about this meeting,” said sources.
Apart from meeting Modi, Nagarjuna was also scheduled to see some of the developmental projects in the State. The star is expected to campaign for the BJP in the coming elections. “His contesting lok Sabha elections is not ruled out yet,” said the sources.Another popular actor Brahmanandam, known for his rib-tickling comedy, was also tilting towards the BJP and is likely to formally join the party after meeting Modi.
Though many Telugu film actors have associated themselves with the BJP in the past, but so many first-rung stars joining hands with the saffron party is a first. UV Krishnam Raju and Kota Srinivas were among the film personalities who were elected to Parliament in the past when the BJP had a tie-up with the TDP.
Now association of top stars like Pawan Kalyan, Nagarjuna and Brahmanandam is likely to spell the end of monopoly of the TDP on the filmdom as far as using the star power for electioneering is concerned.Though the TDP will still have some big shots like Nandamuri Balakrishna and NTR Junior, but the BJP has clearly over taken it by roping in the big names.
The development has come at a time when the seat-sharing talks between the TDP and the BJP has hit a roadblock as the BJP was demanding a pretty large number of parliamentary and Assembly seats.The BJP, riding on what perceives to be Modi wave in all parts of the State, was demanding 17 lok Sabha and more than 85 Assembly seats, which the TDP was unwilling to concede.
The BJP in Telangana was demanding six of the 17 lok Sabha and 25 of the 119 Assembly seats. In Seemandhra, it wants a whopping 11 of the 25 lok Sabha and 62 of the 175 Assembly seats.
“Given the huge number of aspirants for tickets within the party and a large scale influx of leaders from the other parties, our party cannot afford to give so many tickets to the BJP. We have conveyed our limitations to them,” said a senior TDP leader.
Unable to make any breakthrough in the talks, BJP’s pointsman Prakash Javdekar has returned to New Delhi to report to the national leaders. The BJP was likely to send one of its top post leaders Arun Jaitley for hammering out disagreement and also overcome the stiff resistance within the BJP.
The leaders on both the sides were still hopeful of finding a way out as Chandrababu Naidu was keen to form a strong alliance in Seemandhra by keeping the BJP in good humour.Meanwhile, the roadblock in TDP-BJP talks has also affected the prospects of a grand alliance comprising the TDP, the BJP, lok Satta of IAS-turned-politico Jayprakashan Narayan and Pavan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party.
It is believed that the BJP was trying to use its new found “star power” to pressurise the TDP to yield more seats. Especially the role of Pavan Kalyan in this entire game has become rather curious. A media statement, attributed to senior BJP leader from Seemandhra S Veera Raju, informed that Pawan Kalyan will not have any tie-up with any regional party including the TDP was being seen as part of this strategy.
Observers believe that the BJP leaders were keen to have an exclusive deal with the film star to have him campaign for the BJP and not for any big alliance, if it materialises.