Congress would welcome Chiranjeevi: Moily

Hyderabad, Jan 9 (UNI) Opining that there was no political space for new parties in Andhra Pradesh, Congress Working Committee member Veerappa Moily today said Telugu film actor Chiranjeevi was welcome to join the Congress.

Talking to newspersons here, he said the Congress had recognised the contributions of Mr Chiranjeevi and his father K Venkata Rao by conferring Padma Vibhushan on them. ''If Mr Chiranjeevi is ready to join the Congress, we will welcome him with open arms'', he added.

Disagreeing with Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's view that actors were ''unfit'' for politics, he said any actor was free to float a party, if he or she desires.

Unlike, in 1980s, when actor-turned-politician N T Rama Rao formed the Telugu Desam Party(TDP), there was no political space now for new parties, he said, adding, however, the Congress would not overtly or covertly hamper formation of any party by the actor.

Terming ''unfortunate'' Congress MP Hariram Jogaiah, lauding Mr Chiranjeevi and denouncing Chief Minister Y S Rajasekara Reddy, he said the MP had realised his mistake and agreed to make amends for it.

Mr Moily said since many parties were gaining prominence in Andhra Pradesh, TDP was in disarray.

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