Chiru to organise public meeting to announce Cong-PRP merger

Hyderabad, Feb 9: Chiranjeevi is planning to organise a massive public meeting soon to announce the merger of his Praja Rajyam Party with Congress, which is likely to be attended by Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi.

Chiranjeevi, who arrived here to a rousing reception from PRP as well as Congress workers, told reporters that Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi may attend the meeting. The final details of the meeting would be announced later, he said.

The decision to merge the Praja Rajyam with Congress is being welcomed by various sections, he said.

Chiranjeevi also said that except a woman MLA (Sobha Nagireddy) all other MLAs of his party are with him. Praja Rajyam has 18 MLAs, including Chiranjeevi, and two of them have been supporting former Congress MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, while one MLA supports separate Telangana agitation.

He said the issue of taking action against PRP MLAs, who have supported Jagan, is being examined. Though he merged the party with Congress, Chiranjeevi said, he would remain committed to his pet issues of social justice and opposition to corruption.

Meanwhile, state Congress president D Srinivas said a post, that may create a surprise, may be given to Chiranjeevi. Chiranjeevi''s services would be utilized not just in Andhra Pradesh but also in other states, he said.

Lampooning Chiranjeevi, Telugu Desam Chief N Chandrababu Naidu said Chiranjeevi had talked big about social justice and fighting corruption but now merged his party with Congress which is an epitome of corruption.

PTI