Congress up in arms against Chiranjeevi’s brother

Chiranjeevi’s brother and actor-turned politician Pavan Kalyan’s outbursts against the Congress leadership after the Bhimraowada demolition last week has led to a war of words between him and the Congress.

Pavan Kalyan, president of Praja Rajyam Party’s youth wing Yuva Rajyam, had called the Congress leaders a bunch of land-grabbers, traitors and asked his fans — in true filmy style — to chase them on the streets till their clothes fell apart. Launching a personal attack, he accused Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and Minister for Minority Welfare, Energy and Coal Shabbir Ali, of corruption. He charged Shabbir Ali of grabbing Wakf board lands that should have been allotted to poor Muslims. He accused the other ministers and APCC president D Srinivas of looting the state.

The Congress leaders retorted back by questioning Pavan Kalyan’s morals vis-a-vis his personal life and dismissed him as a novice politician. However, Shabbir Ali couldn’t stop himself from publicly wondering how Pavan Kalyan, who started a live-in relationship with another woman before divorcing his wife, can talk of morals. He demanded an apology from Praja Rajyam Party or face a defamation case. Chiranjeevi supported his brother saying he was entitled to express his opinion. The trading of charges only emboldened Pavan Kalyan who said that he had expressed people’s feelings. But his subsequent actions drew all round criticism from not only the Congress leaders but also other parties and his own fans. Re-enacting a scene from one of his films, a wildly gesticulating Pavan Kalyan warned the Congress leaders of dire consequences if they dared to take up cudgels against him. His body language and gestures offended not only senior leaders within his own party but also leaders across all parties. This sparked off protests by Congress workers across the state.

On Friday, the actor escaped being roughed up by irate Congress workers who marched to the PRP office to hold a demonstration. Pavan Kalyan came out of the office to receive them with roses but had to beat a hasty retreat as PRP supporters and Congress workers came to blows. His effigies were burnt by Congress workers at several places across the city.

Former actress Jayasudha, who joined the Congress, said Pavan Kalyan being a youth icon should have refrained from using such language.