Chiru on a political yatra to Telangana

Hyderabad, Oct 30: Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi will kick off the second leg of his mass contact programme from the Telangana heartland on Thursday, Oct 30.

The eight-day political yatra would cover the three Telangana districts of Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam, party sources said. Chiranjeevi would commence the road show from Siricilla in Karimnagar district, where scores of weavers ended their lives due to the crisis gripping the handlooms and powerlooms there. The Praja Rajyam Party founder had earlier visited Siricilla to express solidarity with the weavers. The visit has put Congress government in a spot for its alleged failure to rescue the weavers. During the tour, Chiranjeevi is expected to spell out his party's stand on the crucial issues of separate Telangana and Naxalism.

The Karimnagar and Warangal districts, hotbed of Telangana statehood movement, were also used to be strongholds of Naxal activities. The actor had to cut short his first leg of tour in north coastal Andhra Pradesh by two days earlier this month due to sore throat.

While Chiranjeevi's first leg of mass contact programme was a big hit, going by the huge crowd turnout, his impact in Telangana region will come under close scrutiny by major political players as it is expected to decide the contours of electoral alliances for next year's assembly polls.

The main opposition Telugu Desam Party has already made a U-turn and announced its support for Telangana cause in the hope of striking an alliance with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), a major player in the region.

UNI