Why did Chiranjeevi fail to click?

Mega star and Praja Rajyam Party leader Chiranjeevi is into damage-control exercise after the stunning debacle for the party in the recently concluded Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh. 

The party's debacle has now led to his close family relatives fighting with each other.  While his younger brothers Pawan Kalyan and  Naga Babu want the party general secretary Allu Arvind's wings clipped, party president Chiranjeevi himself does not want to exclude Allu from the future decision-making process. 

Chiranjeevi denied all the allegations made against the party. He also reiterated that the party stands united and the loyal members of the party want to look forward.

But sources close to family say that the infighting in the party would grow in the coming days. However, party sources said that Chiranjeevi was forced to come out from hibernation mainly because his brother-in-law Allu Arvind had decided to quit his party post.  Serious differences inside the family circle have forced Chiranjeevi to come out in open and support his brother-in-law, the sources said.

Allu Arvind had some serious differences with Naga Babu and  Pawan Kalyan who were completely outsmarted by the former.

Pawan Kalyan showed his frayed tempers when he cancelled a press conference earlier in April to deny the allegations made by senior party leader Parakala Prabhakar, who quit the party. 

When Chiranjeevi formed his party, it was believed that well-known personalities like Dr. Mithra, Parakala Prabhakar, Anjaneyulu Reddy and Dr. Samaram would work as his advisers.

His brothers Pawan Kalyan and Nagababu, who enjoy a huge level of popularity, were more than willing to support Chiranjeevi and had even reduced their film assignments to participate in party activities.

But slowly, sources say, Allu Arvind started hijacking the party and even undermined the advise of  Pawan Kalyan and Nagababu in giving  party tickets. This led to disgruntlement in Chiranjeevi's family.  

Stunned at the unexpected turn of events, Chiranjeevi has blamed a section of the media and disillusioned ticket-seekers of his party for launching a sustained disinformation campaign to malign Praja Rajyam's image.

"It is better to put a full stop now. And that is the reason why I am here to say that we have not sought money for tickets and Allu Arvind has resigned from the party post," said Chiranjeevi in his first press conference organised in his party office.    

After keeping himself in indoors for nearly five days since the elections results, the actor surfaced to blame a section of media for publishing reports without verifying facts.

His ire was directed at a news item, carrying Allu Arvind's resignation. An agitated Chiranjeevi said Allu Arvind had not resigned and blamed the rumour mongers for creating a bad impression about the party.

Chiranjeevi is yet to come out from the shock defeat of his party, which was able to secure only eighteen Assembly seats  in the recent elections. The party drew a blank in the Parliamentary elections, though it was able to secure a fifteen percent share of votes in the Assembly elections.  

"We are still committed to our goal of  cleansing the public life and give a new  political order. We are not deterred by the reversal in our first attempt in elections.  We  failed in our organisational  structure though the grassroot cadres of the party  had worked very strongly in party' favour', Chiranjeevi told the media.  

Chiranjeevi also said the party had not indulged in cash-for-seats deals and refused that "he was hand in glove with Allu Arvind in all the dirty deals of securing money while giving seats for rich and influential  aspirants.

"I have not collected money for the seats. It is a lies and the Praja Rajyam has become a victim of  a conspiracy hatched by some vested interests to spoil the good image of the party. If I wanted to make money, I would have continued  in the film industry, where I enjoyed the status of  a leading star of many years," retorted Chiranjeevi.    

Allu Arvind has been with Chiranjeevi even from his filmy days. The actor  does not want to miss Allu Arvind's support at any cost  and wanted to once again prove his unflinching trust  towards  his brother-in-law.

Allu Arvind has been at the receiving end from agitated party workers fom the day results were announced.  The disgruntled fans are now seeking for Allu Arvind's blood as they feel he has completely mishandled the party affairs. Already, the youthwing of the party wants Pawan Kalyan to be projected as second in command in the party.