Megastar Chiranjeevi is facing an acute shortage of politicians and intellectuals and his loyalists are quick to point out that this is one major reason for holding up the star from becoming a politician.

According to sources, Chiranjeevi wanted to have a full-fledged polit bureau in place before he goes public about his political party. However, the shortage in building a thinktank is delaying this, they point out. “No doubt, a team of advisers working hard to prepare the ground for the launch of the party with a bang. But, the entire operation lacks in political colour and hence looks uninspiring,” said the sources.

After deliberating on this shortfall, the megastar now wants to appoint some experienced politicianintellectuals to impart political structure to the ongoing efforts of his aides. And the appointment of bureaucrat-turned-politician K S R Murthy is the first step in that direction.

As of now, the activities are being looked after by apolitical intellectuals like Dr P Mitra, P Vinay (both medical doctors), T V Rao, T Brahma Reddy, YLN Rao (all top brass of Janavignana Vedika, an NGO wedded to spread scientific temper among the people). “These are mostly considered non-political people. Even though they have been working hard for quite some time in mobilising an opinion in favour of Chiranjeevi, many consider their efforts as missing in political direction,” the sources said.

Many consider the appointment of Murthy, former special chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh and former Congress MP from Amalapuram, also a dalit leader from the coastal area, as a strong message to the people of the state that the future party is not a caste-based one but a genuine democratic outfit.

According to the sources, Chiranjeevi will start his negotiations with political leaders in the second week of July when the Moodham, an inauspicious period in the calendar, passes off.

“We have persuaded him not to keep aloof from interacting with the senior leaders who want to associate with him and he agreed for that,” an aide to the star told media.