PRP joining govt will harm Cong interests in Telangana

Former minister Damodar Reddy on Tuesday predicted that the Congress will bite the dust in Telangana region if it goes for any alliance between the Praja Rajyam Party before K Chiranjeevi does not make his stand clear on the contentious separate Telangana statehood issue.

Talking to media persons at Media Point on Assembly premises, Mr Damodar Reddy said that though PRP president K Chiranjeevi has taken the stand of an Integrated Andhra Pradesh, he will have to clarify whether he will stick to this stand if he enters into any alliance with the Congress.

The senior Telangana leader said that the ruling party stands to gain in all the three regions of the state if the PRP merges into the Congress. However, if the PRP joins the government without a merger, the impact on the Congress will be adverse, Mr Damodar Reddy said.

The senior leader stated that a merger between the two parties would mean that the PRP cadre will follow the Congress High Command and any future decision it takes on the separate Telangana state issue, but the PRP joining the government would mean that the party’s stand vis-a-vis Integrated Andhra Pradesh remains undiluted.

This, Mr Damodar Reddy stated, would be more harmful to the Congress, particularly in Telangana region. He pointed out that Mr Chiranjeevi should make his stand clear on joining the government or merging his party with the Congress.

The former minister’s statement comes a day after the High Command invited Mr Chiranjeevi to New Delhi, ostensibly to thrash out the modalities of any future alliance.

Mr Damodar Reddy went on to say that he sees no threat to the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government in the state. He added that the Congress High Command has sought the support of PRP in the event of former Kadapa MP deciding to test the government strength on the Floor of the House.

He predicted the Congress will be routed in Telangana if it fails to introduce a separate statehood Bill in the Budget Session of Parliament.