AP: Senior TDP leader joins Chiru's Prajarajyam

Hyderabad, Sep 13: Mr C Ramachandraiah, who recently quit the main opposition Telugu Desam Party(TDP), on Saturday, Sep 13 formally joined the Praja Rajyam Party launched by Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi here.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Ramachandraiah, who had been a member of the TDP politbureau, the highest policy-making body, and represented the state in the Rajya Sabha, said, ''I see TDP founder N T Rama Rao in Chiranjeevi.'' Mr Ramachandraiah, a prominent leader from Kadapa from where Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy also hails, contended that the TDP had deviated from the policies initiated by its founder NTR.

He said he firmly believed that Chiranjeevi would provide a corruption-free Government if his new party was voted to power and ensure social justice for the weaker sections.

The resignations by Mr Ramachandraiah, Bhuma Nagi Reddy and Sobha Nagi Reddy from the TDP could be seen as another setback to the main opposition party in the Rayalaseema region at a time when TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu was striving his best to improve the party's prospects in the 2009 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state.

Mr Ramachandraiah had been in the TDP since its formation in early 1980s. He was elected to the State Assembly from Kadapa in 1985 and has been a Rajya Sabha member since 1988, articulating the TDP's policies in the upper House.

Former ministers K Vidyadhar Rao and T Sitaram were among other TDP leaders, who had quit that party to join the new Chiranjeevi political bandwagon.

UNI