Chiranjeevi yet to fix poll partner

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh’s box-office hero turned politician Chiranjeevi says his newly floated party, Praja Rajyam, will wait for the right partner to form an electoral alliance.

“I like the Tamil Nadu model in central politics. Any party from that state focuses on what it can  get out of an alliance for the state. That would be the model I would like to follow,” he said.

In an interview to DNA, he dismissed speculation that Praja Rajyam was joining hands with the Samajwadi Party in the upcoming elections. Political circles here were abuzz after the SP’s Amar Singh and Jayaprada met Chiranjeevi recently. There was even a theory floated that Amar Singh was only carrying a message from the Congress high command.

However, Chiranjeevi denied any such moves. “Amar Singh and Jayaprada came to meet me only because Mr Amitabh Bachchan wanted to congratulate me after the response to my maiden public meeting on August 26. There is no politics behind that.” For good measure, he added: “If they [Amar Singh and others] had come to me with some political idea in mind, I can’t talk about it. But, as far as I am concerned, it was just a courtesy call.”

On criticism that Praja Rajyam followed an open-door policy towards defectors from other parties and those with a criminal background, Chiranjeevi said: “Finally while giving  responsibilities within the party, we will do all the required verifications.”