PRP merger with Congress draws BJP ire

Former Bharatiya Janata Party president M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday termed the merger of Praja Rajyam Party with the Congress as `unfortunate’.

Talking to media persons on the sidelines of a party meeting, the senior BJP leader described the Congress as a sinking ship in the state and wondered why PRP president K Chiranjeevi acted in haste and merged his party with the Congress.

Mr Naidu said the PRP leader who formed the party on the plank of achieving social justice, has cheated the voters by merging the party with the Congress.

The senior BJP leader also criticized Union Telecommunications Minister Kapil Sibal for shielding those who involved in the 2G Spectrum. He asked Mr Sibal to act in a responsibly and ensure a CBI probe into the entire issue impartially.

Reacting on the move to bring Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam temples under the Archeological Survey of India, he said the decision was not good for interests of devotees and urged the government to withdraw its decision.

Senior BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya on Sunday also expressed his dismay over the merging of Praja Rajyam Party with the Congress. He alleged that the leaders in Congress are involved in scams worth thousands of crores of rupees.

Mr Dattatreya asked how Mr Chiranjeevi, who established the PRP party saying that he would fight for social justice, can fight for fulfilling Dr Ambedkar principles by allying with corrupt Congress.

He said the poor and Backward Classes in the state will definitely question the actor-turned-politician for belying their aspirations. Mr Dattatreya stated that the people would give a fitting reply to Mr Chiranjeevi at the time of elections for his opportunistic politics.

The senior leader also alleged that the Congress lured Mr Chiranjeevi by illegal means to prevent a Constitutional crisis in the state.