Chiranjeevi tries jumping polling queue, sent back by irate voter

Superstar Chiranjeevi may be a superstar and Minister of state for tourism to boot, but when it comes to voting in an election, he’s only as good as everyone else. The actor cum politician was given a harsh reminder of this today, when he was accosted by an irate voter while trying to jump a queue to check whether his name was on the voter register.

“Why do you need special treatment? There are people already waiting in line,” the angry voter asked him, following which Chiranjeevi attempted to pacify the man. It was then pointed out to him that many people in the line, which included old people, had been standing there for over an hour.

Chiranjeevi then stood in line with the rest of the voters for an hour before finally casting his vote.

Speaking to reporters later, Karti the voter who reprimanded Chiranjeevi said, “I respect him, but he should follow the queue. He is not over 65 years or disabled.”

Chiranjeevi, when he finally emerged, said in his trademark drawl that he ‘respected’ democracy and the voting process.  And when asked by a reporter whether he had ever stood in queues before, he hastily answered in the affirmative. But then in a moment of honesty he added, “.. in my childhood”.