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Thursday, Feb 19, 2009
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No truck with BJP: PR

Special Correspondent

Party committed to secular ideals, says Chiranjeevi

HYDERABAD: The Praja Rajyam has reiterated its resolve against having any alliance with the BJP as well as parties related to it in any manner.

PR president K. Chiranjeevi asserted that the party was committed to secular ideals and there was no question of entering into a tie-up with the BJP. The statement assumes significance in the light of efforts by PR ally Nava Telangana Party headed by T. Devender Goud to seek the BJP’s support in introducing a private member’s Bill in Parliament on Telangana.

In a brief chat with reporters here on Wednesday, Mr. Chiranjeevi said the party was not considering formation of an alternative front at the Central level. But it had decided to field candidates from areas in other States where there was a sizeable Telugu population. The party was identifying such constituencies in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa.

At a separate press conference, PR spokesman P. Mitra replied in the negative to a question whether the party would warn NTP against its overtures to the BJP and said the NTP was a separate entity. Mr. Chiranjeevi and Dr. Mitra dismissed reports of the survey conducted by a channel giving an edge to the Congress.

Surveys, according to Mr. Chiranjeevi, were not indicators of grassroots-level reality, while Dr. Mitra said the survey results showing only 7 per cent popular support to the PR was “ridiculous”. “How can they come to such conclusions even after watching the public response to PR’s meetings?” Dr. Mitra asked.

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