Ever since Chiranjeevi officially announced his intention to join active politics, his fans and political "well-wishers" have lavished praise on his declared intention of changing our lives by putting a smile on our faces and a spring in our steps. Though everyone cheered Chiranjeevi in Avilala on August 26th, will those people be willing to walk the hard path that will take them to the Santosh Andhra Pradesh that Chiranjeevi promised will be their destination? Even more important, do they realize that Chiranjeevi, since August 26th, has not even come forward with a road map to this Promised Land? Since that Tuesday night, Chiranjeevi has only been in the press for the wrong reasons, but he has been in the press – perhaps without a choice,
Controversies apart, if one thing has dogged Chiranjeevi since his planned entry into public life, it has been the media. The hype has been tsunami-like. Populist and generic statements in his speech were given a tone of staggering importance. Off the cuff remarks were bestowed with an invisible aura of political judgment. To the disillusioned, his speech in Avilala has definitely raised hope. However, if the Avilala deeds do not follow the words, then he would leave millions of people with despair that they could well do without. Our underserved, neglected and marginalized minority do not need another messiah who promises them the moon, even as the earth under their feet is being snatched away in an orchestrated SEZ frenzy.
Chiranjeevi's turn around on the SEZ stance is a cruel let down. So is his penchant for attracting the rich and famous. And they don’t come any richer than the Ambanis nor any more famous than the Bachans and Amar Singh. Amar Singh, Jaya Prada and Jaya Bachan flew down in a private jet and drove down in a Rolls Royce to meet Chiranjeevi. When you throw in their proximity to the Ambanis in the equation, you get an involuntary and resigned smile on your lips. The contrast could not have been more ironic. Phule, Ambedkar, Kalam and Teresa Vs Jaya Prada, Jaya Bachan, Amar Singh and Ambanis. The question begs to be asked. Is Chiranjeevi using change to promote his political career or using his political career to promote change?
In a season of convenient untruths, it is too much of a burden to ask any politician to tell any truth. However it is downright scandalous to pretend as truth, the white lies uttered by dyed-in-the-wool deal makers like Amar Singh. Chiranjeevi will be courting for trouble if he tries to merge his version of social equality and change with Amar Singh’s brand of brazen power politics. Naidu is still paying the price for a brief dalliance with the Gucci-wearing, Champagne-sipping who’s who of Industrial India Inc. Chiranjeevi can be banished to political wilderness without as much as second thought. But admittedly the combined lure of glamour, power and industrial might can be a difficult combination to resist – even for the Megastar!
As the clock ticks, Chiranjeevi’s silence is getting an increasingly louder. There has till date, not been a single opinion voiced nor a comment made by Chiranjeevi on the state of events in the economy. Even as the winter session of the assembly drew to a close, Chiranjeevi’s party had no point of substance to be made. This is unnerving. SEZs, subsidies, corruption, electricity, education, employment and more; this state has core issues that are in a crying need for change. Yet Chiranjeevi prefers keeping his own counsel. Perhaps the change he spoke about has to begin with him! Otherwise it will be a case of too little and too late.
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