Chiranjeevi to take a final call on possible PRP-Cong merger

The Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) on Thursday authorised the party founder- president Chiranjeevi to take a final call on whether to have an alliance or merger with Congress party.

The Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) on Thursday authorised the party founder- president Chiranjeevi to take a final call on whether to have an alliance or merger with Congress party.

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"Chiranjeevi would meet Congress president Mrs Gandhi at Delhi before the end of the week.We have not put forth any pre-conditions for the talks," said PRP leader C Ramachandraiah after a meeting of party legislators and districts unit chiefs in Hyderabad on Thursday.

"Whatever decision Chiranjeevi takes on cementing relations with the Congress, the party would welcome it, as PRP on its own can not deliver social justice, the plank on which the party was formed," he further added.

PRP circles said that the opinion was still divided on what kind of relationship PRP should forge with Congress.

While majority of the MLAs favoured an outright merger, with an eye on getting ministerial berths, another group wanted to try out an alliance first and then taking it to the next level gradually.

PRP has 18 MLAs and by getting them to its side, Congress(with 155 MLAS in the 294-member assembly) would be buying out an insurance for Kiran Kumar Reddy government, which is facing the threat of possible revolt by 25-30 MLAs owing allegiance to Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Arun Kumar produced copy of a letter written by YSR to Congress president Sonia Gandhi dated may 18, 2009, that is barely three days after he (YSR) returned to power with a wafer-thin majority, strongly recommending an alliance with PRP, to bolster the party position.

Arun Kumar further stated that YSR had great respect for Sonia and would have disapproved of the tactics used by Jagan.