HYDERABAD: In a surprise deviation from his itinerary in Telangana to address the ‘Munugodu Samarabheri’ public meeting on Sunday, Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah met Tollywood actor Junior NTR, the grandson of TDP founder and former CM of united Andhra Pradesh late NT Rama Rao, sparking speculations about a new political story in the making. The two met for about 10-15 minutes at the Novotel Hotel in Shamshabad on Sunday night.
It may be recalled that Junior NTR had campaigned for TDP in the 2009 Assembly elections, but later withdrew from political life and preferred to focus on his film career. The grapevine has it that his relations with his uncle and former chief minister of AP, N Chandrababu Naidu are uneasy. Impressed by Junior NTR’s performance in the film RRR, Amit Shah has already showered praises on him. In this backdrop, it is believed that Shah decided to accommodate Junior NTR in his busy schedule. There were also recent reports that RRR was being nominated for the Oscars.
According to BJP sources, the informal private interaction between Shah and Junior NTR was mostly on the success of RRR. However, meeting with Junior NTR and not the movie’s director SS Rajamouli, despite nominating the latter’s father SS Vijayendra Prasad to the Rajya Sabha, has led to speculation on the political content in the talks Shah had with Junior NTR.
Also because Junior NTR has a mass following in both the Telugu states, speculation is rife that BJP wants to use his stardom to attract the Kamma vote bank in Telangana, by getting closer to him and portraying an image that the actor is endorsing the BJP.
This is not the first time that the BJP has used film actors and actresses in their party affairs and political campaigns. Actress Vijayashanti, comedian and former MLA Babu Mohan, veteran actress Gouthami, former MP and veteran Tollywood actor Krishnam Raju were among a few whose services the saffron party used in the past.
As reported in these columns, Amit Shah met media tycoon Cherukuri Ramoji Rao and had a private meeting with him for 20 minutes at Ramoji Film City, after the conclusion of the public meeting in Munugode on Sunday evening. Though Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy and other leaders were present with him, the meeting was held privately between the two. BJP leaders have neither confirmed, nor denied that former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu was present during that meeting.
It was observed at the public meeting that except former Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, none of the State leaders have made elaborate speeches. In fact BJP State president Bandi Sanjay, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy and Rajya Sabha MP Dr K Laxman had limited their speeches to just couple of minutes. Even Amit Shah’s speech was not as elaborate as expected, as he had to go to Ramoji Film City from there.
Right after landing at Begumpet Airport on Sunday afternoon, Amit Shah went to offer his prayers at the famous Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad, after which he went straight to BJP’s SC Morcha worker N Satyanarayana’s house at Sambamurthy Nagar locality in Secunderabad. Before flying back to Delhi, Shah held a meeting with select party leaders, and reportedly gave them directions about the future course of action in the party.
According to BJP sources, the informal private interaction between Shah and NTR was mostly on the success of RRR movie.