Gaddar willing to work with Pawan Kalyan's party

Hyderabad: Rebel poet Gaddar, who plans to float a political party in Telangana, has expressed his willingness to work with Jana Sena party of popular Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan.

Describing Pawan as a long-time friend, Gaddar on Sunday said he would consider working with him, after floating the political party.

The balladeer said he would also work to bring together the like-minded parties. Talking to reporters, he acknowledged that a lot is being heard in political circles about Pawan Kalyan's party.

Pawan announced earlier this month that Jana Sena will contest the next elections in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

There is a buzz in political circles that Gaddar will play a key role in the actor's plans for Telangana. Pawan has also dropped hints at working with the Communist parties, which have a support base in some pockets of Telagana.

The former Maoist, who plans to build an alternative political force representing 'true aspirations' of Telangana people and has good rapport with the Left parties, is expected to bring the parties closer.

Gaddar remarked that political power can't be achieved overnight and that it needs sacrifices and struggle.

The poet, who had founded Jana Natya Mandali, the cultural wing of the erstwhile People's War Group, said he had been carrying on his battle for 70 years.

Gaddar, whose real name is Gummadi Vithal Rao, is a critic of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government and believes that Telangana of the dreams of the martyrs is yet to be achieved.

He earlier planned to launch the political party on April 6 to coincide with the attack on him 20 years ago.

The Maoist sympathiser was shot by five unknown people at his Venkatapuram residence in Secunderabad on April 6, 1997.

He had blamed police and then Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government for the assassination attempt.

Gaddar claims to have formally severed all links with the Maoists to enter mainstream electoral politics.