Telugu film actors make beeline to cast their votes

Leading actors and other eminent Telugu film personalities made a beeline at the polling centres here Wednesday to cast their votes in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh assembly.

The actors and other artists, who hail from Seemandhra, exercised their franchise for the first election in Telangana after the Parliament passed a bill for separate statehood to the region.

Most of the leading film personalities of Tollywood, who cast their ballot, have either campaigned for the parties or supported them. They also tried to send across the message to all the voters to come out and vote.

Superstar Chiranjeevi, who is now a Congress leader and union minister, cast his vote in the posh Jubliee Hills area. He was accompanied by his actor son Ramcharan Teja. Chiranjeevi is leading the Congress campaign in Seemandhra or the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, which will go to polls in the second phase May 7.

Chiranjeevi's younger brother Naga Babu, also an actor, cast his vote. The superstar's youngest brother and popular actor Pawan Kalyan also polled his vote. Pawan, who floated a new political party Jana Sena, campaigned for BJP-TDP alliance in Telangana.

Another leading actor N. Balakrishna too cast his vote in Jubliee Hills. Son of TDP founder and late chief minister N.T. Rama Rao, he is contesting the elections from Hindupur assembly constituency in Anantapur district of Seemandhra. Balakrishna is brother-in-law of TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu.

N.T. Rama Rao's grandson and young actor Junior NTR also exercised his franchise. The popular actor, who had campaigned for TDP in 2009, is staying away from electioneering this time as he and his father N. Harkrishna fell out with Naidu.

Popular actor Nagarjuna, who like Pawan Kalyan had met BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and declared his support, also cast his vote. Nagarjuna and his activist wife Amla polled their vote.

Veteran actress Vijayashanti, who is Congress candidate from Medak assembly constituency, cast her vote in Jubliee Hills.

Actors Allu Sirish, Rajasekhar, his actress wife Jeevitha, who are supporting BJP, Srikant, actress Manchu Lakshmi, well-known filmmaker and former union minister Dasari Narayana Rao, producer Aswini Dutt were among others who exercised their franchise.