The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Praja Rajyam gets another jolt

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Praja Rajyam gets another jolt

Special Correspondent

Party general secretary Parakala Prabhakar quits

The party is a poisonous tree and an undesirable force: Prabhakar
He says he does not believe the PR will deliver social justice

HYDERABAD: The Praja Rajyam (PR) received another body blow when its general secretary Parakala Prabhakar resigned from the party on Thursday after describing it as “a poisonous tree” and an “undesirable force.”

Mr. Prabhakar tendered his resignation under rather dramatic circumstances. Shortly after noon, he went to the party office and left his resignation letter on a table adjacent to the chamber of PR president K. Chiranjeevi.

He said he no longer believed that the PR could deliver on its promise of “social justice.”

The decision of Mr. Prabhakar, who is one of the visible faces of the party by virtue of being its official spokesman, comes close on the heels of the resignation of C. Anjaneya Reddy, vice-president, on Sunday. He caused a flutter by holding a press conference in the party office. On its part, the party looked unconcerned.

Senior leaders P. Upendra and Uma Malleswara Rao said that while Mr. Prabhakar’s resignation was unfortunate, the party would steam ahead on the charisma of its president K. Chiranjeevi.

Mr. Prabhakar said he took the decision to quit with a heavy heart and a lot of concern after realising that the party had no sense of direction. “I thought change is possible through such parties and we could get rid of corruption- ridden politics.”

“We feel deceived”

“But we feel deceived,” he said. “I feel that I have the responsibility to tell people the truth and to tender an apology for the way people were deceived over the months.”

Admitting that he had a role to play in the whole affair, he said he was pained.

On allegations that party tickets were sold and large sums of money had changed hands, he said there appeared to be some truth in it but did not elaborate.

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