Be Bold, Chiru

By Desaraju Surya
Hyderabad: I am one of the millions of die-hard fans of Mega Star Chiranjeevi, the actor. I am, however, not euphoric as he dons a new role now – a politician.
In fact, I abhor to see him as a politician. This is not without reason, though.
Primarily, Chiranjeevi is a very good human being, totally down-to-earth. He loves people and the adulation he receives from them. He always strove to give his best in front of the camera – be it in dancing, fighting or plain acting. He has excelled as an actor far beyond expectations.
Through his three-decade-long film career Chiranjeevi was never found wanting and almost delivered what audiences expected from him. His focus was purely on excelling as an actor and reaching the pinnacle of glory. And, he succeeded in it through sheer hard work and dedication.
Cut this to the real life. Chiranjeevi is never known to take his own decisions and has entirely depended on his brother-in-law and Man Friday Allu Aravind – be it managing his call-sheets or finances, choice of films and practically everything. So much so that Chiranjeevi doesn’t – or simply can’t – do anything without the guidance of Aravind. Nobody should grudge this as far as Chiranjeevi’s personal affairs are concerned.
But when it comes to public life as a politician, who has his eyes set on the Chief Minister’s chair, Chiranjeevi is required to be the “be all and do all” man. Can he really be so? I strongly doubt his ability in this regard – likes scores of others do.
This precisely takes the sting out of the Chiranjeevi aura and puts him in a dark light. Even if Chiranjeevi tries to impress upon the people that no outside influence would act on him, it can’t be taken on face value. For, history is replete with examples of “external forces” who wield greater authority in the corridors of power than the powers that be. It may happen even with Chiranjeevi and all talk of his idealism and the “change” that he aims to bring about in the “system” will turn hollow.
We can’t really wish away the likes of Allu Aravind from Chiranjeevi’s life but the latter should be bold enough to show them their place in the public domain. It’s the only way he could reinforce his image in the hearts of the people, even as a politician.

A dream unrealised

By Desaraju Surya

Hyderabad: He played a villain, an anti-hero, lover boy, lawyer, dancer, ruffian, a Cowboy, politician, a sportsman, a thief, a cobbler, a murderer, professor, Lord Siva, IPS officer, industrialist, Charlie Chaplin, a woman and a host of other characters in the 148 films he has acted in, in a career spanning 30 years.
Konidela Siva Sankara Varaprasad, alias Chiranjeevi, however, could not play his dream role – the one that’s close to his heart.
Ever since he became an actor in 1978, Chiranjeevi wanted to don legendary freedom fighter and martyr Bhagat Singh’s role as the latter was always his “inspiration.” Sometime after his first mighty hit Khaidi was released in late 1983, Chiranjeevi himself had stated this in an interview to a film magazine. Years passed and he gradually was caught in a rigid image frame which did not allow him to do off beat roles like Bhagat Singh. Hence, it remained an unrealized dream for Chiranjeevi.
I had a chance meeting Chiranjeevi in December 1995 in Vijayawada when I broached the issue with him. “Yes, it is certainly my dream role but I am unable to don it because of my current image. People are used to my dances and fights and Bhagat Singh’s role certainly doesn’t have scope for this. I doubt if my fans would accept me in that role, so I am hesitant to do Bhagat Singh,” Chiranjeevi had admitted.
He was repentant but was equally helpless! A price he had to pay for being a Mega Star!
Interestingly, Chiranjeevi never again spoke about his dream role as he acquired a larger-than-life image as an actor.

Up for sale

DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government has placed a total of 1022.95 acres of "surplus" land in Ranga Reddy district (and a few pieces in Hyderabad) at the disposal of three agencies -- Hyderabad Urban Development Authority, AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation and AP Housing Board -- for "optimum utilisation of the land in the best public interest."
The said lands were formally allotted to the three agencies "for public purpose" on Saturday with a directive to the Ranga Reddy district Collector to take necessary further action. The HUDA got 384.62 acres, the APIIC 482.15 acres and the APHB 156.18 acres in the latest distribution of land to the agencies.
The government had taken over these lands under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 before the legislation was repealed by the state in March this year.
Bare estimates by the officials put the value of the total land at over Rs 1500 crore.
"Unless a complete physical verification of the lands is done we can't calculate the exact value. It could be more than what we estimate right now," a top official said. Besides, authorities are also required to check if any of the lands are encroached and if any litigation is pending against them.
"Optimum utilisation of the land in the best public interest" is nothing but a euphemism for "sale" of land, highly-placed official sources pointed out.
The state government which has been on a land selling spree, with the aforementioned agencies acting as its main agents, is desperately in need of funds as the current slump in the real-estate market has poured cold water on its plans to dispose of vast extents of land and mobilise a staggering Rs 13,000 crore this financial year. The APHB and the HUDA have failed to sell lands and earn enough money for the government in the first quarter of this fiscal. Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who was apprised of the situation at a recent review meeting, reportedly asked the authorities to concerned to "do whatever possible" and advised them to go for e-auctioning as the regular auction process drew dismal response. Ironically, even the e-auctioning proved to be a damp squib, going by the experience of HUDA, as there were no takers for land.
How the government agencies manage to fulfil their obligation this time, with so much land at their disposal, is to be seen.

Grand Alliance plans make Congress jittery

Desaraju Surya
Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's meeting with Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh and the former's reported pledge to support the BJP-led National Democractic Alliance at the Centre has caused some anxiety in the Telugu Desam Party which has been trying to forge a "Grand Alliance" with the Left and the TRS in Andhra Pradesh.
The sudden shift in TRS' stance, after having supported the United National Progressive Alliance on the trust vote in Lok Sabha last week, has caught the TDP in a fix though the party would still like to consider joining hands with the TRS to consolidate its position in the Telangana region.
The TDP has been dropping enough hints that it would indeed like to align with the TRS by reiterating that it was "not against" Telangana.
Opposition parties, barring the Bharatiya Janata Party, in the state have been seeking to forge the so-called Grand Alliance with the sole objective of dislodging the Congress from power -- much the same way the parties came together in 2004 to dethrone the Chandrababu Naidu government.
Rather than "ideology," it is a "common cause" (of defeating the Congress) that is bringing the opposition forces together. "Was there any ideological bond between the Congress, Left and TRS in 2004? It is no more a question of ideology but some common factors that bind us," a senior Left leader pointed out.
Interestingly, the ruling party which has been reduced to a loner in state politics, too is trying to re-establish its old links with the Left parties to scuttle the principal opposition Telugu Desam Party's plans. The Congress is jittery over the impact the grand alliance would cause as a unified opposition could become a very formidable force and mar its chances of retaining power.
The CPI, on its part, is desperately looking towards Chiranjeevi while the CPM will be part of the grand alliance as things stand now.
"The question of our re-aligning with the Congress doesn't arise as our national congress has taken a clear stand on the issue," CPM state secretariat member Y Venkateswara Rao asserted.
The TDP wants to align with the Left parties and also the Telangana Rashtra Samiti by keeping the BJP aside. The Bahujan Samaj Party, which of course does not have much strength in the state, too may become part of the TDP-Left-TRS alliance going by the developments at the national level. Significantly, the TDP is also leaving open the option of seeking support of film star Chiranjeevi in the event of a "hung" Assembly next year. This statement by party spokesman Kodela Siva Prasada Rao only exposed the insecurity in the TDP camp over the impact of Chiranjeevi's future party, political observers say. TDP's indication of a possible "post-poll" alliance with the Chiranjeevi party is being viewed in the context of Devender Goud's Nava Telangana Praja Party planning a "pre-poll" tie-up with the star. Goud has asserted that he would not join hands either with the TRS or the TDP but left the option of joining hands with Chiru open.

Malaysian gets a power shock in AP

By Desaraju Surya
Hyderabad: The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) is busy these days desperately trying to trace the address of a Malaysian power producer who came calling to set up a thermal power station in the state.
The Malaysian power producer first met Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy early this year for giving a brief about his plans. "I am ready to set up a 2000-MW thermal power plant near any upcoming port in Andhra Pradesh. I have an investment of 600 million dollars ready and have coal mines in Indonesia, from where I shall import the coal by sea. I don't need any other assistance from the AP government except land for setting up the power plant," the Malaysian told the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister was impressed but insisted that the Malaysian not press for any power purchase agreement with the state and could sell the power anywhere else. The Malaysian agreed to this and said he has no problems on this count as the Power Trading Corporation of India was ready to buy electricity from him. Having heard the plans, the Chief Minister promptly asked the power producer to meet the "Chinna sir" (junior sir), as is customary. (Now, everybody knows who this Chinna sir is and the authority he wields in the current dispensation).
Accordingly, the Malaysian approached the "Chinna sir" with his project proposals. "Since a new port is coming up at Krishnapatnam, I would like to set up the power plant in its vicinity," the Malaysian told the Chinna sir. "No way," the Chinna sir made it clear, as two major power plants were already proposed at the same location.
The Malaysian then bargained for Visakhapatnam or Machilipatnam, where too another port is being developed. The Chinna sir was "not impressed" and negated these proposals. By then the government had already approved a plan for power plant at Machilipatnam, under the aegis of a ruling party MP.
Later, the power producer approached the Chief Minister once again to apprise him of the situation and seek an alternative location. Rajasekhara Reddy, however, did not show any interest and asked the Malaysian to meet the 'Chinna sir' again.
Distraught, the Malaysian gave up his plans and went away.
All this happened more than six months ago when the power scenario in the state was not alarming as it has been now. But, with the situation going out of hand, the government has become desperate and started looking at all avenues to boost the power generation. Hence, the search for new power producers, particularly the ones who come with no "liabilities" like the compulsory power purchase agreement.
"We never really took any details from the Malaysian man though he met the Chief Minister a couple of times. Ironically, we don't even know his name to get in touch again," a senior official in the CMO lamented.
Even Google hasn't been of much help to the CMO authorities!