Chiranjeevi to celebrate 53rd birthday in new avatar

Hyderabad, Aug 20 (IANS) Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi will celebrate his 53rd birthday Friday in his new avatar of a politician.

His fans will celebrate the occasion on a grand scale as it comes at a crucial turning point in the actor's career. Hundreds of his fans are likely to descend on the state capital to wish him well on the occasion.

Chiru, as he is popularly known, announced his entry into politics last Sunday and said he was dedicating his life to serve people. He will formally launch the party and announce its agenda at the public meeting to be held at temple town of Tirupati Aug 26.

Though his fans were expecting that he would launch the party on his birthday, he preferred to do it on the birth anniversary of Mother Teresa. The actor told his maiden press conference Sunday that he was inspired by Mother Teresa, who dedicated her life to serve the needy.

Chiru, who has been acting in films for 30 years, was already engaged in social service and runs a blood and eye bank here. As he dons a new role, his fans are eagerly waiting to see him as the next Andhra Pradesh chief minister.

Chiru has a huge fan-following, comparable with that of thespian N.T. Rama Rao, who had taken the state politics by storm by floating Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982. NTR had come to power within nine months after launching the party.

Born on Aug 22, 1955 in Mogalturu, a small village in coastal district of West Godavari in the family of an excise constable, Chiru's real name is Konidela Siva Shankara Varaprasad. After doing graduation in commerce, he began his film career in 1978 and carved a niche for himself with his image of an action hero.

The actor Wednesday appealed to his fans not take trouble of travelling to Hyderabad to wish him and urged them to instead do their bit of social service in their towns and villages.

Chiru advised his fans to stay in their places and take up social activities like distributing books among students and fruits among patients in the hospitals. He also reminded them that after the meeting at Tirupati, he would visit towns and villages as part of his state-wide tour.

Meanwhile, support continues to swell for the actor as two leaders who quit TDP recently joined his party. Former MP Bhuma Nagi Reddy and his wife and former state legislator Shoba Nagi Reddy joined Chiru's party at his office here Wednesday.

Hailing from Kurnool district in the Rayalseema region, the couple quit TDP last month. Their resignation was a big blow to TDP in the region notorious for factional violence.

Welcoming them in his party, Chiru hoped they would change the politics of Rayalseema. "The political culture of Rayalseema is known to everybody. They have joined hands with me and are ready to bring change and respectability to politics," the actor told reporters.

Senior Congress leader and former MP Hariram Jogaiah joined Chiru's party Tuesday. Jogaiah quit the Lok Sabha and the Congress Sunday, soon after the actor announced his entry into politics.