SP wooing Chiru to fight Maya

HYDERABAD: The Samajwadi Party unfolded its political gameplan of entering South India as well as extending its fight with BSP leader Mayawati south of the Vindhyas by wooing newly-turned politician Chiranjeevi here on Sunday.

In a message clearly intended to convey to Chiranjeevi that the SP can match him in glamour and grandeur, the party's general secretary Amar Singh flew into Hyderabad in a private plane from New Delhi and was met with by his party MPs Jaya Bachchan and Jayaprada, who came in from Mumbai. The trio then drove down to the Prajarajyam party office in a black Rolls Royce around 4.30 pm and had an hour-long meeting with Chiranjeevi.

According to sources, the SP has decided to exploit AP for both political and business interests. The former, because TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu has already established a tie-up with the SP's arch rival Mayawati both at the national and state level. "After the vote of confidence motion, the left-Mayawati-TDP combine wants to cement their bonhomie further. It is only natural for the SP to counter it as well as scout for new terrain and Chiranjeevi, the novice, was the best bet," one leader said.

The business interests for SP in AP too are huge. Top businessman Anil Ambani, who along with Amar Singh, Mulayam Singh and Amitabh Bachchan have knit themselves into a powerful politico-business-entertainment lobby, has huge interests in the state. Apart from the oil interests in the Krishna-Godavari basin, telecommunications, and entertainment, Anil Ambani's Reliance Fuel Resources Limited ( RFRL) is planning to lay a Rs 16,000-crore natural gas pipeline from Kakinada to Dadri in UP where he wants to set up a power plant.

"Therefore, it would make great sense for the SP to look for some sort of tie-up with Chiranjeevi as they would benefit greatly if he is swept to power. A lot of issues figured in the meeting," one leader said. The private aircraft for Amar and the Rolls Royce for the party leaders were said to be courtesy Anil Ambani.

For the record though, Amar Singh told the media that the meeting was 'purely a courtesy call.' "It was only a courtesy call. We came here to congratulate him as he took a decision to tread a very difficult path. Amitabh Bachchan also asked me to convey his best wishes to Chiranjeevi as they are good friends. Amitji is abroad and therefore could not join us," he said.

Source : Times Of India