Unemployed woman Karne Sirisha (26), who shot into limelight with her YouTube video as Barrelakka, attracted nationwide attention by contesting as an independent candidate in the just concluded assembly elections in Telangana from Kollapur constituency.
Though she won only 5,754 votes and lost her deposit, her fight against heavyweights like Jupally Krishna Rao of Congress and B Harsha Vardhan Reddy of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi became the talk of the town.
Even YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy used her name to attack his political rival – Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan.
At a public meeting in Palasa, the chief minister made fun of the power star saying Barrelakka from Telangana fared much better than the popular actor when it comes to politics.
Jana Sana party lost deposits in all 8 constituencies it contested in Telangana – Khammam, Kothgudem, Wyra, Aswaraopeta, Kukatpally, Tandur, Kodad, and Nagarkurnool constituencies.
However, Barrelakka on Monday expressed regrets that some leaders tried to draw parallel between her and power star.
“I felt very bad when my name was used to run down Pawan Kalyan,” she said.
Stating that Pawan Kalyan has his own political life and his own party and I have my own political life, Barrelakka said she had no comparison whatsoever with the Jana Sena Party chief.
“He has own power. I have my own. In fact, I am a great fan of Pawan Kalyan,” she said.
She went on to praise the power star as a gentleman.
“People know how great person he is. I am his admirer. Just to project him in a negative angle, he cannot be compared with me. I feel bad,” she said.
