Stage set for PRP’s merger with Congress

Express News Service
First Published : 06 Feb 2011 03:45:20 AM IST
Last Updated : 06 Feb 2011 11:01:02 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) president K Chiranjeevi left for New Delhi this evening for his meeting with Sonia Gandhi at 11 am Sunday. He is likely to return to Hyderabad transformed as a Congress leader.

Sources said all is now set for his party's merger with the Congress.

The meeting will discuss the fine print of the merger. Chiranjeevi is likely to strike a bargain with Sonia about his and his second-rung leaders' future in the Congress after merger. Sources said the PRP is expecting four berths in the state Cabinet, one Rajya Sabha seat and some seats in the Legislative Council.

Chiranjeevi's own future and the question whether he will shift to national politics or stay in the state will be discussed.

Before leaving for Delhi, Chiranjeevi said a final decision will be taken only after Sunday's meeting. "We will have another round of meeting after the talks with Sonia," he said.

He clarified that the party's stand on Telangana has not changed. While the party supports a united Andhra Pradesh, the prospect of hits merger with the Congress has triggered murmurs of discontent among Telangana leaders in the latter party.

However, PRP leader C Ramachandraiah indicated that the PRP expects to surrender its united AP stance in the post-merger scenario. "Once the PRP merges with the Congress, the Congress stand will prevail," he said.

Chiranjeevi launched the Praja Rajyam Party on Aug. 27, 2008 in the temple city of Tirupati amid lakhs of fans. However, the party failed to carry the voters in the 2009 elections and from then on the political viability of Chiranjeevi has been steadily waning. The two-and-a-half journey of the PRP will came to an end in Delhi.