Sonia Gandhi calls Chiranjeevi for Praja Rajyam’s merger

The Praja Rajyam chief, Mr K. Chiranjeevi, will become a Congress member on August 8 in New Delhi, signalling the merger of the PR with the Congress.

(File photo) When Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad called on Chiranjeevi at his Jubilee Hills residence. PCC President Botsa Satyanarayana also seen - DC

The Praja Rajyam chief, K. Chiranjeevi, will become a Congress member on August 8 in New Delhi, signalling the merger of the PR with the Congress.


“Chiranjeevi has received a letter from Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday requesting him to make himself available in Delhi between August 7 and 10 to take the Congress’ membership,” C. Ramachandraiah, senior PR leader and MLC told this newspaper.
The Union minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is in charge of the Congress affairs in AP, also invited Chiranjeevi to New Delhi.
While Chiranjeevi will take the Congress membership in the presence of Sonia Gandhi, his party MLAs and other leaders will do the same at Gandhi Bhavan in the presence of the PCC chief, Botsa Satyanarayana.
Ramachandraiah said plans are also afoot to organise public functions in all districts to mark the merger, followed by one large meeting. Due to the political uncertainty over Telangana, the Congress has vetoed Chiranjeevi’s proposal for the merger to be held at a huge public rally in one of the three regions of the state.
Chiranjeevi has been waiting since February for the merger formalities to be completed. The PR, which had 18 MLAs, lost two of them to YSR Congress.
After the formal merger, Chiranjeevi will again have to wait for the Congress to decide about his role in the party.
There are rumours that he may be included in the Union Cabinet, while two or three of his MLAs will get berths in the state ministry.
Chiranjeevi told this newspaper that the Congress core committee members would be present when he takes the Congress membership. Chiranjeevi thanked Gandhi for the gesture.