It is an advice both Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth would do well to listen to. After all, Chiranjeevi is senior to them in the world of politics. In an interview to Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan, Chiranjeevi has advised both superstars to stay out of politics.
“My sincere advice to Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan is to stay out of politics. It is not worth it. These days, money dominates the election process more than anything else. Money spent in crores by my opposition parties defeated me (in the 2009 elections) and my brother Pawan Kalyan (in 2019),” Chiranjeevi said.
The former Praja Rajyam chief had contested from two constituencies in 2009 (Palacole and Tirupati). But he lost from Palacole and his PRP won just 18 out of 294 seats. He later joined the Congress and became an Union minister of State for Tourism. After his Rajya Sabha term ended, Chiranjeevi bid goodbye to politics. In the elections this year, Chiranjeevi did not even campaign for his younger brother Pawan Kalyan
Giving an inside view into the world of politics, Chiranjeevi said, “Only those who can swallow defeats, disappointments and humiliations can survive in politics. But sensitive people like me cannot face it.”
Chiranjeevi pointed out that he was number 1 in cinema when he entered political life.
“You can imagine how interested I was to do something good in politics by that,” he says.
The Megastar said he expected Kamal Haasan to do well in the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu but it was not to be. He hopes Kamal and Rajini are not like him and if they are really determined, despite the odds, to do well and be brave, he wishes them well and says the world will be theirs.
It is obvious that Chiranjeevi is not too happy with Pawan Kalyan’s foray into politics either. The Jana Sena won just one assembly seat and Pawan himself lost from both the seats he contested in.
It is not known how Rajini and Kamal will take Chiranjeevi’s advice. While Kamal’s Makkal Needhi Maiam has already tested electoral waters, Rajini is yet to announce the name of his party. Incidentally, Amitabh Bachchan who has acted alongside Chiranjeevi in Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, had advised Rajinikanth not to get into politics before he announced his plunge in December 2017. Amitabh’s political innings in the 1980s was shortlived after he was elected as Congress MP from Allahabad during Rajiv Gandhi’s time. He resigned in the wake of allegations over Bofors.
Categories: Politics