It was YS Rajasekhara Reddy vs Chiranjeevi Monday. Both attacked each other in a high-octane campaign for the next year general election.

Reddy, while addressing party workers at Ongole in Prakasam district, described the mega star as one who never had any commitment to help the poor and the needy.

“He earned crores of rupees by acting in films. The money went to him from people. But during the last 30 years he did nothing, for them or the industry which supported him.

He advised Congress workers not to get scared by the turnout at the film actor’s meetings. “Don’t worry about the crowd. As he is a film actor, people would like to see him. There is nothing more to it than that,’’ he said, adding that the only Sri Rama Raksha for the Congress was the allround development of the State. That being so, Chiranjeevi, who is getting ready for his next round of Praja Ankita Yatra in Nellore and Prakasam districts from on Nov 29, entered into a slanging match with him.

Rebutting the repeated critisism by Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy that he did nothing for his native village, Mogalturu, Chiranjeevi wanted to know what the chief minister had done for his birth place, Balapanuru, in Kadapa district.

“He was there for ten years.

After becoming the chief minister he has developed Pulivendula town. But what about Balapanuru? I don’t understand why the chief minister repeatedly refers to Mogalturu,’’ the star-turnedpolitician wondered.

Chiranjeevi took objection to the chief minister’s objection to his twirling the mustache and slapping the thighs during his Praja Ankita Yatra in Pulivendula. “Those gestures were not meant to challenge anyone. They were symbolic of courage,’’ he said, adding: “Even Mahatma Gandhi had a mustache. But he was an apostle of peace and hero. Only heroes can bring about development,’’ the actor- turned-politician said.