CITYROCKZ

Praja Rajyam Party President and film star Chiranjeevi steps down as MLA of Andhra Pradesh assembly. In a press conference, Chiranjeevi said he was stepping down for a united Andhra. He also said that a united Andhra was essential for a rich Telangana.

Chiranjeevi said he was taking moral responsibility for his words during the state assembly elections. On December 7, he had rallied for a separate statehood for Telangana. Now, he has changed his stance, keeping in mind the public outcry against this decision.

Chiranjeevi, who held consultations with senior party leaders throughout the day, was understood to have come under pressure from them that the party reverse its pro-Telangana stand and extend full support to the unified state movement.

The two PRP MLAs hailing from Telangana region, however, opposed a change in the party’s stand and wanted it to stick to the Samajika (social) Telangana promise.

Senior PRP leaders tried to exert pressure on Chiranjeevi to resign as MLA and support the ongoing movement for a unified Andhra Pradesh. He hails from West Godavari in coastal Andhra and represents Tirupati assembly constituency in Rayalaseema.

15 PRP MLAs from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions have already submitted resignations and are taking part in the ongoing agitation against the proposed bifurcation of the state.

Ever since the launch of PRP in August 2008, Chiranjeevi has always supported Telangana and even included it in the party’s election manifesto this year.

Chiranjeevi maintained there would not be any change in PRP’s stand on the separate statehood issue after the political imbroglio following the Centre’s announcement on initiating the process for creation of Telangana state.

But with mounting pressure from his party cadre, which is predominantly from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, Chiranjeevi is said to be left with no other choice but to toe their line, the sources pointed out.

PRP Leaders from different districts of Telangana reached the party headquarters here and met Chiranjeevi to express their displeasure about the party’s stand on Telangana issue.

PRP’s MLA from Telangana region A Maheswar Reddy too joined the meeting and sought a clarification from Chiranjeevi on reports that he was now favouring a unified state against the party’s line for a Telangana.

PRP’s official spokesman Shravan Kumar said at the end of the meeting that there was immense pressure on Chiranjeevi to support a unified state.