Film glamour pulls crowds for netas

Hyderabad: Adding filmy glamour to the dull canvassing by various constituents of the four-party People’s Front (PF), film stars like Nandamuri Balakrishna, Vijayashanthi, Nagma, Kushbu are busy seeking support for the PF candidates, mostly belonging to the Congress and TDP, taking time off their busy (?) schedule. Of course, except ‘Balayya’, who is the TDP legislator from Hindupur (Anantapur district), all the other stars are not so engaged in either film of TV serials. As if these twinkling stars are not enough, top cine heroes like NTR Jr, his half-brother Kalyanram and nephew Tarakaratna, who have pledged their support to Nandamuri Suhasini, the PF candidate from Kukatpally, are yet to jump onto the campaign bandwagon.

‘Balayya’, taking a break from his father NTR biopic, was busy on Sunday receiving ‘ceetees’ and ‘thalis’, besides colourful garlands and ‘mangala harathis’ from ever-obliging women during his canvassing for PF candidates while he moved around in a huge campaign vehicle. At some places he was seen in the company of senior Congress leader Kanumuri Bapiraju, who mostly smiled into the eager cameras. Vijayashanti, a star canvasser for the Congress Party, has been hip-hopping from Hyderabad to Ranga Reddy and other neighbouring districts. As usual, she has been blasting her once ally TRS and its president and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, for letting down the people after making many promises.

Kushbu, a former ‘goddess’ of the TN people, and Nagma, a reigning heroine of Kollywood, took to campaigning for Anil Kumar Yadav, son of former Secunderabad MP, of the Congress Party in Adikmet division of Musheerabad constituency. Kushbu addressed a meeting in M S Makta organised by the Congress Party. Although not canvassing, bulky actor Krishnudu, who has pledged his loyalty to YSRCP chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, has issued an appeal to voters to exercise their constitutional right to without fail. He recalls voting 15 years back (when he cast his ballot for the first time).

Of all the actors in the poll action during the last two days, Balakrishna has been the most active. Of course he has been concentrating on Seemandhra pockets where people with origins from Andhra mostly live. Addressing a gathering during a road-show at Vivekanandnagar in Serilingampally on Sunday, he threw an open challenge to the TRS government—could you remove traces of the work done by his brother-in-law and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu like Shamshabad airport, ORR. As if to touch the Telangana chord, he insisted on the construction of a Telangana memorial for the martyrs.