JOIN USBJP gathering star power ahead of Telangana elections; J P Nadda meets Nitin
The BJP is gathering “star power” in Telangana ahead of the state assembly elections next year.
After home minister Amit Shah sprung a surprise last week meeting Telugu superstar Jr NT Rama Rao, who has a mass following in both Telugu states, now party chief JP Nadda has met with another popular Tollywood star Nitin.
Nadda who was in Telangana on Saturday to attend the Prajasangrama Yatra rally in Hanamkonda later met Nitin in a star hotel in Hyderabad.
Was a joy to meet the famed Telugu actor, @actor_nithiin in Telangana today. We had a pleasant interaction that spanned over different political, social & cultural issues. He also told me about his upcoming movies for which I extended my best wishes to him. pic.twitter.com/oVI3t1q1HM
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) August 27, 2022
Nadda also met famed cricketer Mithali Raj, who announced her retirement from cricketing career recently.
“Nitin and Mithali said they are attracted to PM Narendra Modi's style of administration. They are even willing to campaign as they believe Modi's leadership should continue for the nation,” claimed BJP OBC Morcha's national chief, Rajya Sabha MP K Laxman.
Laxman, who was recently inducted into the BJP Parliamentary Board, accompanied Nitin in the meeting with Nadda. The BJP chief directed Laxman to arrange a meeting of the two celebrities with Modi.
The meeting with JrNTR has created quite a buzz even nationally, as the actor gained country-wide prominence with his character Komuram Bheem in the blockbuster RRR.
Though it is the TDP, founded by matinee idol and Jr NTR's grandfather NT Rama Rao, which leads in the support from the Telugu film industry, the BJP too has its share of patronage from Telugu actors.
“Rebel star” U Krishnam Raju, uncle of Baahubali fame Prabhas, was a BJP MP, while veteran actor Kota Srinivasa Rao was a BJP MLA – both during united Andhra Pradesh time.
The Telangana unit has some celebrity-turned-politician support already.
Yesteryear superstar, “Lady Amitabh Bachhan” Vijaya Shanti, a former TRS Lok Sabha member, is one of the prominent faces of the Telangana BJP now. Noted comedian Babu Mohan, a former minister and legislator earlier with the TDP and the TRS, is now associated with the saffron party.
The T BJP has enlisted the support of some more lesser-known actors, too.
But the party vying to capture power in Telangana in 2023 is now apparently keen on using the influence of some youthful stars to connect strongly with youth of the state, where movies are a big craze.
The T BJP leaders are said to be in talks to convince some more Tollywood celebrities to meet their national leaders whenever they are on a Telangana visit in the coming months.
A senior BJP leader told DH that they are not immediately looking to secure the official endorsement of these stars, but are happy with the speculation these photo-op meetings are creating in the run up to the polls.