The Hindu : Front Page : PR-Congress merger meet in July

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Sunday, Jun 19, 2011
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PR-Congress merger meet in July

Special Correspondent

Venue likely to be Vijayawada or Rajahmundry

HYDERABAD: A mega public meeting to formally merge the Praja Rajyam with the Congress is likely to take place around July 10 either in Vijayawada or Rajahmundry.

Praja Rajyam (PR) chief K. Chiranjeevi's hope to conduct the meeting in the temple town of Tirupati may not be fulfilled, given the inclination of Congress central leadership to take part in the meeting close to a place which has air connectivity.

“Initially, Mr. Chiranjeevi was keen that the merger meeting take place in Tirupati. But in the meetings in the last two days, we mulled Vijayawada, Guntur and Rajahmundry too,” a PR MLA told The Hindu on Saturday.

Sources said the PR leaders are expecting the presence of either AICC president Sonia Gandhi or AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi. “In the event of top Congress leaders attending the meeting, they would like to get back to New Delhi the same day. They have asked us to scout for a venue that is close to an airport,” another PR MLA pointed out.

Tentatively, the party wants to hold the merger meeting before July 10. Incidentally, such a huge public meeting may coincide with the three-day plenary being planned by the YSR Congress Party in Idupulapaya from July 8.

A final decision on the exact date is likely to be taken at a meeting the PR chief is expected to attend in the presence of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and APCC president Botcha Satyanarayana.

Before formally merging the party in the Congress, the PR leaders are planning to hold meetings in the District Congress Committee offices where they have MLAs. The idea is to ensure proper coordination between the Congress and the PR district level leaders. Plans are afoot to see that Mr. Chiranjeevi also visits Gandhi Bhavan, the party headquarters ahead of the merger meeting.

Kapu community

PR leadership is upbeat that it would mobilise large crowds for the public meeting irrespective of the venue being in Vijayawada or Rajahmundry. The party is said to be eyeing the large Kapu community presence in the Godavari districts for the meeting.

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