It appears the Congress high command has virtually disowned megastar and former Union minister K Chiranjeevi, though the latter has not officially quit the party after returning to films.
AICC general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs Oomen Chandy on Monday declared that Chiranjeevi was no more associated with the Congress party.
“He is not continuing in the Congress party anymore,” Chandy said.
Apparently, Chiranjeevi has not renewed his membership in the Congress after the completion of his term as Rajya Sabha member in 2018.
He made it clear some time ago that politics was not his cup of tea and he even advised Tamil superstars Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan not to venture into politics.
But of late, there were reports that Chiranjeevi might make a re-entry into politics through YSR Congress party and was offered Rajya Sabha ticket. There has been no denial or confirmation from his camp till date.
Chiranjeevi floated Praja Rajyam Party with a lot of fanfare in 2018 and contested the assembly elections in 2019 in the combined Andhra Pradesh. However, he failed to make it big in politics.
In 2012, he merged his party with the Congress, which honoured him with Rajya Sabha seat and a berth in Manmohan Singh cabinet.
After the bifurcation of the combined Andhra Pradesh to carve out Telangana, Chiranjeevi made a quiet exit from politics and returned to films, though he continued as Rajya Sabha member till 2018. He never took part in any of the party activities since then.