Pawan Kalyan's 'Varahi' registered in Hyderabad; didn't seek registration in AP

HYDERABAD: Pawan Kalyan's customised fancy campaign vehicle has been registered in Hyderabad's West Regional Transport Office.

Confirming the registration, a top official of the Telangana transport department told NewsTAP that this was the initial information and he would verify further details and inform on Monday.

In an interesting development, that may come as a rude shock to the ruling YSR Congress in AP, the vehicle, with olive green colour, was registered in Telangana.

The vehicle satisfied all necessary requirements and the registration was done, said Deputy Transport Commissioner (DTC) of Hyderabad West Papa Rao. The vehicle was not of Olive Green colour, but it was of Emerald Green colour. The vehicle was given a registration number of TS 13EX 8384. He clarified that there were no objections and all documents were verified.

The colour of the campaign vehicle and its size that resembled an army truck or war tank became news three days ago when it was launched pompously. The cinematic video was posted on Twitter which drew millions of eyeballs.

Soon after the video was released, the colour code of vehicles became a topic of debate. It was clarified by officials that colours used by armed forces could not be used by any one.

While Irrigation Minister of Andhra Pradesh Ambati Rambabu raised a pointer at the colour and the campaign vehicle's resemblance, Pawan Kalyan gave a retort asking in a sarcastic manner whether he would be allowed to breast, at least.

Tourism Minister R K Roja came up with another jibe taunting the name of the vehicle 'Varahi' as 'Narahi' (denoting the surname of Telugu Desam supremo Nara Chandrababu Naidu).

Former Minister Perni Nani said that Pawan Kalyan claimed to have been a law-abiding citizen. Deriding the actor's claim that he had read a lakh books, Nani appealed to Pawan Kalyan to read one more book, Indian Motor Vehicle Act, that banned the use of olive green colour dedicated to army vehicles by private persons. "He better have the vehicle painted in yellow colour," quipped Nani obliquely mentioning the "nexus" between Pawan Kalyan and the TDP.

Everyone knew that Pawan Kalyan would go along with the TDP, he said.

Senior Jana Sena leader Nadendla Manohar said, "Don't we know what colours should be used? Pawan Kalyan is taking decisions in view of the people's interest. It's not like changing colours of buildings after being chided by the High Court. The criticism is just for the heck of it. We don't know if the vehicle would go to registration with this colour or whether there would be any other elements that would come up on the body of the vehicle to give a message to people. There is a lot more in that."

Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan tweeted the picture of an Olive green shirt akin to a military outfit and asked if he couldn't wear it, triggering a lot of responses on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan went in olive green fatigues to the launch of shooting of "Ustaad Bhagat Singh" movie giving rise to remarks that it was a response to the YSR Congress Party's taunt against his campaign vehicle.

In fact, Pawan Kalyan had tweeted the pictures of motorcycles and SUVs that sported olive green colour and questioned if they were not banned.

However, when contacted, Additional Commissioner of Transport in Government of Andhra Pradesh S A V Prasad Rao told NewsTAP that nobody approached the department for registration. If any such request came from anyone, the department would diligently check all parameters like the make, customisation, chassis, engine, make, height of the vehicle and its colour before according permission and taking it up for registration. "So far, no request has come either from Pawan Kalyan or Jana Sena Party seeking registration of any vehicle as publicised. If it comes, we will follow the rulebook," Prasada Rao asserted.