Chiranjeevi to decide date of formal merger with Congress

Hyderabad: Almost three months after the announcement about the merger of Praja Rajyam Party into Congress, PRP president K Chiranjeevi will hold talks with top Congress leaders in Delhi on Tuesday night to finalise the merger date.

Responding to the invitation by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Chiranjeevi will go to Delhi to hold talks with top Congress leaders including Gandhi and AICC general secretary and in-charge of AP affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad to fix the date for the formal merger, PRP sources said.

Apart from the merger issue, the Congress high command is also likely to discuss the induction of PRP members into the Andhra Pradesh cabinet. Four slots in the State Council of Ministers are vacant, apart from the one that came with the resignation of Agriculture Minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy ahead of Pulivendula assembly bypolls.

Sources say that at least three PRP MLAs will be offered cabinet posts in the expansion that could take place later this month.

Chiranjeevi holds a lot of significance for the ruling Congress in the changing political scenario in the state as the support of his 17 MLAs holds the key for the survival of the Kiran Kumar Reddy government in any eventuality.

Chiranjeevi had announced his decision to merge the PRP with the Congress in February, after a meeting with Sonia Gandhi. However, technical issues and the subsequent elections in five state assemblies led to a delay in the formal merger.

Chiranjeevi has already invited Sonia as well as Rahul Gandhi to attend the function that is likely to be held near Vijayawada towards the end of this month.