Politicos sharpen verbal attacks on rivals

BY J.R.PRASAD

Hyderabad, April 18: The high-voltage dialogues often heard on the silver screen are now being delivered by politicians.

The Telugu Desam star campaigner, actor Balakrishna, called the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, a “chameleon.” He also had some strong and angry words for the PR leadership. “At the time of the PR’s launch, its leadership said the party would create history in politics. They really created history... but only by making money even before the party came to power,” he said.
The actor said, “the PR train is losing its bogies one after another and by the time it reaches the destination, only the engine will remain.”
Not to be left behind, the PR leadership ridiculed the TD chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu’s appeal to voters in the Godavari districts “to treat Chiranjeevi as their son-in-law and feed him a square meal instead of casting votes for the PR.” Party leader, Mr Allu Aravind said, “It is not Chiranjeevi’s culture to bite the hand that feeds him like Mr Naidu.”
Chiranjeevi also sharpened the attack on rivals. During his road shows, Chiranjeevi is now recalling the “family coup” in which Mr Naidu had dethroned Mr N.T. Rama Rao.
Meanwhile, the Congress MP and film director, Mr Dasari Narayana Rao, is delivering fiery speeches against Chiranjeevi, who belongs to his own Kapu caste.
“As an actor, Chiranjeevi never helped anybody from his caste. He is now harping on social justice. This is only to grab power,” he said.
With as many as eight Tollywood heavyweights trying their lucks in the second phase of the polls, no wonder the campaigning has taken such a filmy turn.