MAA elections are no longer an affair limited to the film actors and actresses. They have assumed political overtones with political parties getting involved in the elections. Mega family’s open backing of Prakash Raj as the MAA president has opened a Pandora’s box. Though the YSRCP has clarified that it has no interest in the MAA elections, several of its leaders are said to be working openly against the Prakash Raj panel.
If sources are to be believed, the RSS too is said to be involved in the campaign. Sources say that RSS has no interest whatsoever in the MAA elections, but is hell-bent on defeating Prakash Raj, who is a well-known Modi baiter. The RSS feels that she should be defeated and sent packing for his anti-Hindu comments. Hence, the RSS, which has contacts with several film actors, producers and technicians, is leveraging its contacts to meet the MAA voters. An all-India level leader with wide contacts in the film industry is said to be personally monitoring the campaign by the RSS workers. At least 11 film personalities, including a young politician who has produced films with Nithin, are involved in contacting the voters. They are trying to influence the voters by ‘exposing’ Prakash Raj. Film personalities like Narasimha Rao and Kota Srinivas Rao too came out openly against Prakash Raj only and not against the other members of his panels.
Interestingly, Manchu Lakshmi and Mohan Babu hosted Modi’s meeting with the film industry ahead of the 2014 elections. Kota Srinivasa Rao had contested and won as an MLA on behalf of the BJP from Vijayawada. Only recently, top RSS leaders had met top film producers, actors and directors in connection with the fund raising for the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya.
