Prior to the Movie Artists Association (MAA) elections, the panel headed by comedian-character actor Rajendra Prasad, who is contesting for the post of president, suffered a setback when two members, Sivaji Raja and Uttej, contesting for the posts of general secretary and joint secretary, respectively, announced that they were not in the race anymore.
On Wednesday, Mr. Sivaji Raja and Mr. Uttej dropped out of the contest. Although their names would be on the ballot paper, they would not campaign, it is said. This development is being viewed as one that increased the chances of actor-turned-politician Jayasudha becoming MAA president. Ms. Jayasudha is supported by three-time president M. Murali Mohan, actor-producer and former Member of Parliament Manchu Mohan Babu and filmmaker and former Union Minister Dasari Narayana Rao.
Siva Krishna and Manchu Lakshmi are unanimously elected as vice-president from Ms. Jayasudha’s panel. The polling on March 29 would be to elect the president, general secretary, executive vice-president, treasurer, two joint secretaries and 18 executive committee members.
Further more the comedian hero stated that “It’s not correct to make an actor who helped you laugh for years, cry now. Some forces from Delhi are making Jayasudha act now, but there is no truth in male-domination as she claimed. Already there are politics in Film Industry, why are you bringing more of them into MAA body now?”, asked Rajendra Prasad. ‘Those who are creating tough situations for us are not actors, they are sadists” he adds. “Rajendra Prasad can be competed only with Rajendra Prasad, but not anyone”, he claims, requesting every film actor to vote for him.