Is megastar Chiranjeevi planning to stage a comeback into the politics? It might happen next year, if not immediately, if speculations doing rounds in a section of media are to be believed.
According to these speculations, Chiranjeevi, who has been staying away from the Congress politics ever since he returned to films a few years ago, is mostly likely to switch loyalties to YSR Congress party by early 2022, may be after completing his film commitments.
While his younger brothers – Pawan Kalyan and Naga Babu, are still struggling to make a mark in politics with their Jana Sena Party, Chiranjeevi may choose the safe option by joining the YSR Congress party.
He has already been maintaining cordial relations with YSRC president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and whenever there is a good decision from the Andhra Pradesh government, he is quick in tweeting appreciating the chief minister.
It is learnt Jagan has given an assurance to Chiranjeevi to nominate him Rajya Sabha in 2022, when there would be elections to four vacancies.
By attracting Chiranjeevi into the YSRC, the chief minister will not only be neutralising whatever little impact Jana Sena can have in the next elections, but also attracting the Kapu community in a big way.
In June 2022, four Rajya Sabha members will be completing their term – V Vijay Sai Reddy, Suresh Prabhu, Sujana Chowdary and T G Venkatesh.
It is a foregone conclusion that Sai Reddy will be given a second term in Rajya Sabha, as he has been the most trusted lieutenant of Jagan.
Of the remaining three seats, Jagan is expected to give one seat to Chiranjeevi.
If he has to maintain the friendly equation with the BJP central leadership, he might offer the third seat to Gujarat industrialist Gautam Adani, as he had done for Parimal Nathwani, a close associate of Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Group.
With regard to the remaining fourth Rajya Sabha seat, the chief minister might prefer a suitable candidate from Backward Classes.
By June 2022, the strength of the YSRC in Rajya Sabha will go up to nine out of 11 seats from the state.
The BJP will have one seat – that of C M Ramesh (who defected from the Telugu Desam Party) and the TDP will have only one MP – that of Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, who will be completing their term in 2024.