Hyderabad: Many Congress leaders from
Telangana region have favoured the party high command`s
decision for an alliance with Chiranjeevi-led Praja Rajyam
Party (PRP) in Andhra Pradesh.
"There was debate even earlier about Chiranjeevi allying
with Congress. He held discussions with Congress because he
liked the policies and programmes of the party. Whatever
decision is taken by the high command, it is binding on us,"
Panchayat Raj Minister B Satyanarayana, who hails from coastal
Andhra, told reporters here today.
Senior Congress legislator and former minister J C
Diwakar Reddy dismissed the suggestion that the move to ally
with the actor-politician`s two-year-old party is an attempt
to rein in Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
"It (forging alliance with Chiranjeevi) is to serve
people better. It is not to rein in someone. Many leaders join
Congress and leave the party. It is not being done with one
person in mind," he said.
Meanwhile, T Jeevan Reddy, a former Minister, said the
high command`s move has hurt the feelings of Telangana people.
"Chiranjeevi is in favour of united Andhra Pradesh. He
is against separate Telangana demand. Bringing him closer to
Congress, has hurt the feelings of Telangana people," he said.
Against the backdrop of Jagan`s open defiance of the
high command`s directive not to go ahead with his `Odarpu
yatra`, Chiranjeevi met Congress President Sonia Gandhi in
Delhi on her invitation two days ago.
She has asked Chiranjeevi not to field his candidate in
the June 17 Rajya Sabha polls. The PRP chief assured her that
he would get back within two days after holding talks with
party leaders.
Though Chiranjeevi said his outfit is not averse to an
understanding with Congress, he has ruled out merger with the
ruling party in the state.
Congress leaders feel an understanding with PRP will help
in reining in Jagan, whose defiance has led to apprehensions
in the party of a possible split, if not in the near future
but a couple of years down the line.
PTI
