Chiru, Pawan to hit Karnataka campaign trail

​Hyderabad: Megastar K Chiranjeevi is likely to end his political hibernation by taking up campaign in Karnakata soon. According to sources, Chiranjeevi has been asked by the party high command to campaign for the party in the areas where Telugu population is substantial in number and can tilt the fortunes of any party.

The Congress party is of the opinion that the popularity of BJP is on the wane. Taking this as an opportunity, the party is trying to reach out to the Telugu-speaking voters to remind them on how the BJP failed to implement the AP State Reorganisation Act 2014. 

The party wants an influencer to impress upon them that Congress alone can save Andhra Pradesh. For this to happen, Congress should return to power, which should begin from Karnataka. This is where Congress want to encash the megastar’s popularity in Karnataka too. It may be mentioned here that Chiranjeevi had campaigned for Congress in last elections as well.

Congress sources told The Hans India that the surveys conducted by various groups clearly indicates that BJP may end up at third position and that JDS would become the king-maker in case there is a hung assembly. However, JDS leader Kumaraswamy has made it clear that he will not join any coalition government and would extend outside support only in an extreme situation. 

The target of JDS is to form government, he adds. Meanwhile, it is learnt that Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan is also likely to hit the roads soon in Karnataka. In all probability, the ‘power star’ will be campaigning for the JDS. It is learnt that this understanding was arrived at when JDS leader Kumaraswamy met Pawan sometime back in Hyderabad. 

Though at that time, officially it was said that the JDS leader had called on Pawan to discuss about the entry of his son into films, an understanding with regard to campaign by Pawan was finalised. It was decided that Pawan would campaign in the border districts - Ballari, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Kolar and other places.

According to political circles, this would also help Pawan to clear the air that he was not acting as per the directions of BJP as was being alleged by various political parties in Andhra Pradesh. It remains to be seen if Pawan would go hammer and tongs against BJP or will he continue his tirade against the TDP government alleging that it had failed to achieve Special Category Status.