Normally, it should have been a festive occasion for the Praja Rajyam Party, which has completed one year of its formation on Wednesday. But the euphoria was glaringly missing at the PRP office.

PRP president Chiranjeevi hoisted the party flag at the party office and addressed a small gathering, before returning to the Assembly to participate in the proceedings. He admitted that the election results were a disappointment to him, as the PRP could not come to power as expected.

“However, we are still committed to our goal of achieving social justice. We are not worried about the people who had left us. Those who were with me (read Allu Aravind) at the time of founding the party are still with me (where is Dr Mitra?) and we will take the party forward into victory in 2014 elections. We are going to win the Tekkali byelection and show to the world that we may be down, but not out,” he said.


Source: Greatandhra

Like superstar Chiranjeevi’s movies, it was a houseful during his party’s launch rally last year. Millions of people had thronged to witness the mega event. Tirupati had become Chirupati on that day. Exactly a year later, the situation is totally different.

His party, Prajarajyam, is a flop show and Chiranjeevi seems like a defeated general after a long battle. With no friends and only a few fans in politics, he is a worried man. Most leaders have already left him and the rest are waiting for a chance to leave.

“What has been happening is a kind of cleansing process. We are very happy. Those who stay with us now are the real well wishers of Prajarajyam,” an optimistic Chiranjeevi said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YSR Reddy who had engineered a rift in the PRP even before the polls is now smiling. According to insiders, Reddy wants Chiranjeevi to merge with the Congress. But, Chiranjeevi's pride and ego are coming in the way.

“As far as Chiranjeevi is concerned neither we are trying nor has he sent us any feelers,” APCC president D Srinivas said.

When Chiranjeevi first entered politics, many saw him as the next NTR but the actor-politician could not become the next superstar of Andhra politics.

For his fans, Chiranjeevi, the politician, has been a disappointment. They blame the highhandedness of his family members and coterie around the actor for his failure.

“Just because NTR made it big in politics does not mean everyone else can also do it,” a fan said. While another one added, “Lack of political knowledge and incompetence are the reasons for his failure. It is not all about the fame game.”

So as Chiranjeevi's party completes one year, there will be little to celebrate but more introspection to be done. His fans can only hope that Chiranjeevi will at least now realise that reel life and real life are exactly the opposite, and success on the big screen is no guarantee of stardom in politics.

Source: Greatandhra