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Chiranjeevi may emerge as the new kingmaker
Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi couldn’t have asked for more. The spotlight has fallen on his Praja Rajyam Party, which had become a non-player in the assembly as it could win just 18 seats in the elections last year.
Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi couldn’t have asked for more. The spotlight has fallen on his Praja Rajyam Party, which had become a non-player in the assembly as it could win just 18 seats in the elections last year.
However, if Jaganmohan Reddy’s followers walk out of the Congress — some estimates put their number at 20-25 MLAs — the support of the Praja Rajyam Party will be crucial to the survival of the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh.
Immediately though, Chiranjeevi may not emerge kingmaker.
For now, Jaganmohan has asked the MLAs in his camp not to resign. There are doubts if a substantive number of legislators will eventually follow Jaganmohan in case he asks them to quit the party and the assembly. They have been in office for 18 months and may not be willing to burn their boats with the next elections in 2014.
If the number turns out to be in single digit, as the Congress leadership claims, Kiran Kumar Reddy may not need a helping hand from Chiranjeevi.
Also, the PRP is divided on the question of supporting the Congress government. A group of four MLAs are opposing the move and may switch to the Jagan camp. There is a tussle among the remaining 14 MLAs as to who will get ministry berths in case the PRP joins the government.
It seems becoming kingmaker may prove more troublesome than becoming king for the tinsel town hunk.
