With Chiranjeevi researching all the political issues of paramount importance to Telugus, all politicians of Andhra Pradesh (AP) are on tenterhooks about when exactly Chiranjeevi will announce his party’s launch.
Now, we learn that Chiranjeevi will be launching his political party from Tirupati, the auspicious town where Lord Venkateshwara's temple is situated. Some say the party will be launched officially on August 26th, Mother Teresa's birthday; others insist the announcement will made in Tirupati on August 17th, while the launch will happen on August 22nd, Chiranjeevi’s birthday.
These dates are deemed to have astrological sanction, therefore gossip says that Chiranjeevi’s political intentions will be confirmed in August. The other political parties are playing a wait-and-watch game as Chiranjeevi belongs to a politically powerful caste that can sway the political fabric of AP with their votes. While the Congress party has let it be known that it is least bothered by Chiranjeevi’s entry, arch-rival Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has maintained a diplomatic silence on the subject. And the Left is waiting for Chiranjeevi’s announcement so that they can start planning alliances.
Chiranjeevi’s timing is just right as the General and Assembly elections will be held in the first half of 2009. That gives him enough time to campaign and still make sure that his party agenda, etc. are fresh in people’s minds when they go to vote.
The temple town of Tirupati has traditionally been the place from where political announcements were made. The late N.T. Rama Rao, founder of the TDP and venerated actor, always made his political pronouncements after a visit to Tirupati-Tirumala.
