Appearing in a live TV chat show for the first time after he entered politics, PRP leader and erstwhile superstar Chiranjeevi today answered questions from viewers on the news channel HMTV.
While the content of his responses was nothing radically different from what he's always been saying, it was clear that for most of the viewers who dialled in to talk to him, he was bigger than any differences they may have with his stances.
Indeed, even callers from Telangana spoke of how they grew up watching his movies, and mostly hazarding a meagre remonstration on his stand on the vexed T-issue. For people from Andhra, of course, he was a clear hero, since he's the only party leader who's taken a clear stand for a united state.
Chiranjeevi himself was however not as charming and amiable as he could have been, especially compared to the very first press conference he had in August 2008 to launch his party. And like we mentioned, he mouthed the same platitudes within the constraints of his united statehood stand.
He said that he took to the united statehood plank since that was what he felt would benefit the entire state. And that while it is true that the Telangana area did not get full justice, it was the Telangana elected representatives that were responsible for that.
He said that arousing passions to gain separate statehood and identity was a kind of politics that he did not support, and that the posture that separate statehood would lead to development is false.
He added that the reason he entered politics was to provide a fair and disciplined rule, and that he is in public life due to the people's desire than out of a need to keep his party alive. He said that he would have had to leave movies in 5-6 years anyway, but that there is no retirement in serving people.