Mohan Babu on way to join Modi fan club

Hyderabad: After Pawan Kalyan and Nagarjuna, it is the turn of one more towering personality of Telugu films, Mohan Babu, to join the fan club of BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. A day after Nagarjuna's high-profile visit to Ahmedabad and meeting with Narendra Modi, Telugu film industry was agog about the plans of many other stars to follow the route.

Sources said that Manchu Mohan Babu will meet Narendra Modi in a couple of days and pledge his support to him. Source said that it was a few close associates of Modi who were instrumental in getting the Telugu film stars to visit him as BJP has identified Andhra Pradesh among the 'key swing' States.

Andhra Pradesh had contributed a whopping 33 seats to Congress kitty in 2009 elections and helped UPA in returning to power for second term against all projections. Now that the Congress was in a pathetic condition in the post bifurcation scenario, the BJP sees a chance to bag a good number of Lok Sabha seats and increase its chances of coming to power at the Centre.

"As the film stars have a big sway over the masses, it is natural that the party was trying to enlist the support of the stars", said a senior party
leader in Hyderabad. But Nagarjunas meeting with Modi has left many questions unanswered as the star himself described it as a "courtesy call" and said that he had no political or electoral agenda. He said that he had gone to Ahmedabad on invitation from Modi.

As the speculations were rife that Nagarjuna was seeking a Lok Sabha ticket for his wife, actor and social activist Amala, the star denied any such aspirations. "None of my family members were interested in politics", he said. But he expressed his good wishes for Narendra Modi's drive to become Prime Minister saying country needs his leadership.

He was all praise for the development he saw in Gujrat and hoped that Hyderabad will also get 24 hours power supply like Gujrat under Modi. Political circles here were seeing many other factors behind Nagarjunas visit to Ahmedabad including the hand of his industrialist friend and business partner Nimmagadda Prasad's hand.

Nimmagadda is in deep legal trouble over his alleged financial links with YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy and had to spent considerable time in jail along with Jagan. Nagarjuna had visited him several times in Chanchalguda jail.

Prasad is a partner in a joint venture with Nagarjuna to develop Annapurna studios and a multiplex in Hyderabad. Some observers believe that Prasad was also part of efforts to mobilise support for Modi in film industry and other walks of life in Andhra Pradesh.

As BJP's efforts for an alliance with the TDP were facing rough weather, observers believe, Nimmagadda Prasad could also be helpful in opening the doors for an understanding with Jaganmohan Reddy's party, which seems to be losing the momentum in Seemandhra region.