Acting the part

The loud protests and sloganeering that accompanied the birth of Telangana during its passage in the Rajya Sabha witnessed frequent arguments between the treasury benches and the Opposition. The Congress fielded its disgruntled Union minister from Seemandhra cine actor Chiranjeevi, who promptly launched into a tirade against his own Congress party for steamrolling the wishes of the people of Seemandhra and acting in haste. He then went on to express his reconciliation with the bifurcation of the state and demanded Union Territory status for the common capital Hyderabad. Bharatiya Janata Party senior leader Venkaiah Naidu, who comes from the same state, objected to this "double speak" referring to Chiranjeevi as the "most popular actor in Andhra Pradesh". Immediately, Congress MPs were on their feet, objecting Naidu's comment. The senior leader realising the furore he had caused, hastily explained that he meant "actor" in a positive sense and was, in fact, praising Chiranjeevi for his acting skills in the Telugu film world.