Actor Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) has plunged into a crisis with five of the party MLAs favouring a merger with the Congress.
The party legislators feel that in its current form, the PRP is not in a position to keep its poll promise and work for the backward classes or play a key role in the state. Hence joining the Congress, under the leadership of Y.S. Rajsekhar Reddy would be a better option.
According to reports, the MLAs have conveyed their feelings to their leader and party general secretary Allu Arvind (who is the actor’s brother-in-law).
After two widely circulated Telugu newspapers reported the development, the party — which has 18 MLAs in the 294-member Andhra Assembly — is now in damage control mode.
Chiranjeevi dismissing the reports as baseless and alleged that the two newspapers were trying to confuse the party
workers and creating doubts in the minds of people.
“There is no truth in the report. One or two MLAs may want to join the Congress or the TDP, but the party is not depending on them,” said party spokesperson Vasireddy Padma.
PRP activists, too, got into action and staged protests in front of the office of one of the newspapers. The protestors were later arrested.