In what will be the case of the first major political leader to join the party, former union minister P Shivshankar will join the Praja Rajyam later this week. Though Shivshankar's son Vinay is already with the party and part of Chiranjeevi's core committee, Shivshankar's entry may open the door for the megastar for accessing the latter's advice and help on many matters including political alliances.
Shivshankar - now 80 - will be returning to active politics after many years. He left the Congress party in 2004 after questioning Sonia Gandhi about her ability to understand the culture of India in view of her foreign origin. Analysts say that the entry of Shivshankar who hails from Rangareddy will help Chiranjeevi to garner other backward caste (OBC) votes in the Telangana region. The veteran had served in various ministries at the Centre for two decades including those of law, justice, petroleum, energy, foreign affairs and human resources.
He had represented Secunderabad in the Lok Sabha for two terms and Tenali for one term. Also a Rajya Sabha member for a six-year term, the Congress depended on his legal brain to formulate various strategies. "He will be used pretty much for the same purpose by Chiranjeevi," said a political analyst. His son Vinay, a surgeon in Apollo Hospital, left his practice to join the Chiranjeevi bandwagon, a few months ago.
Though sitting MPs Hariram Jogaiah and C Ramachandraiah have joined the party along with other political figures like former industry minister Vidyadhar Rao, political heavyweights have eluded the party. In fact with a view to forming a brand new party on a clean slate, Chiranjeevi has not been encouraging induction of political heavyweights into his fold.
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