All's not well in Praja Rajyam

DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: Barely one month into its existence, the Praja Rajyam Party of Telugu Mega Star Chiranjeevi seems to be bogged down by internal strife. "Fans" of the star are miffed at being "sidelined" by the politicians who are trying to hog the limelight in the company of Chiranjeevi. "We are getting a raw deal in the party," president of a district Chiranjeevi fans association lamented at the Praja Rajyam Party office here. Ironically, senior political leaders who jumped into the actor's outfit leaving their parent parties too aren't exactly happy with the state of affairs in Praja Rajyam. The coterie around Chiranjeevi is reportedly trying to "dictate terms" even to seasoned politicians who earlier held important positions in their parties as well as the government. Now, some of such leaders are apparently regretting their decision to join hands with Chiranjeevi. "It's a different kind of mess out here," one former minister said. "People here seem to have lot of airs about themselves. You don't find such a situation in any political party," he pointed out. Worse, enthusiastic people who are thronging the Praja Rajyam office in Jubilee Hills here to catch a glimpse of Chiranjeevi are literally being necked out by over-zealous security personnel. This has become a "routine" affair at the party office, the people complain. Even those accompanying party leaders are not being allowed entry into the Praja Rajyam office causing heartburn not only in the people but also the leaders. Two days ago, a woman leader of the party – who switched sides from the Telugu Desam – had faced an ignominious experience when one of Chiranjeevi's brothers came to the party office. The security personnel reportedly asked the leader, a former legislator, to "stand up" as "sir" was coming. As she refused to oblige, Chiranjeevi's brother allegedly pulled up the security personnel for having failed to "follow the system." Knowing this, the woman leader left the party office in a huff. Things at the party office apart, happenings in the districts are also leaving Chiranjeevi's fans seething. Chiranjeevi's youngest brother and actor Pavan Kalyan is reportedly encouraging certain groups in every district to run shows parallel to the former's fans. "This is leaving everyone confused," one district president of Chiranjeevi fans pointed out. Already, the actor's fans and the politicians are at loggerheads over managing the party affairs in the districts and the latest developments will only complicate matters further, it is feared. As usual, the Chiranjeevi camp seems to have not yet taken note of the goings on in the party. The simmering differences will come out in the open once Chiranjeevi begins his tour of the districts early October.