Chiru to wipe out factionalism
Praja Rajyam leader vows not to spare forces involved in factional feuds
Says ‘Praja Rajyam’ (people’s governance) is not much away from people
‘Elected leaders of other political parties have let the people down’
Mammoth crowd: People scaled everything possible to have a better view of Chiranjeevi in Dharmavaram on Monday.
DHARMAVARAM:
Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi has asserted that his party, if voted to power, will go all out to root out factionalism in Rayalaseema where innocents were falling prey to rivalries for economic and political supremacy.
In an emotional speech while addressing a mammoth crowd that turned out for his road show here on Monday, the second day of his three-day Praja Ankita Yatra in the district, he said his party would not spare such forces and would deal with iron fist.
Law and order would be maintained to make sure no section in the society was exploited or targeted by selfish forces, he said. Every downtrodden section would be taken care of in appropriate measure in welfare, social security and livelihood aspects, he noted.
Discontent
There was ever-growing discontent among people as the leaders whom they voted to power had failed to do justice to them. “My party would provide the justice that had been eluding marginalised sections so far,” he said.
‘Praja Rajyam’ (people’s governance) was not much away from them and they could install it by showing confidence in PR, he told the people.
Mr. Chiranjeevi stated that his party would set up a Chenetha Welfare Board for uplift of weavers and handloom workers. Only the leaders of the community would be appointed on the board and they would design schemes in tune with the weavers’ wishes and needs.
Alleging that the governments had been neglecting weavers so far he claimed that the credit of the present government announcing loan waiver of Rs. 336 crore would go to PR as it was this party which highlighted the problem with his Sircilla visit. All other parties including the Congress had responded to the initiative taken up by PR.
People everywhere
There was a lively response to Mr. Chiranjeevi as his convoy passed through villages en route from Kothacheruvu to Anantapur.
Every street he passed through in Dharmavaram was jam-packed. Even the roof-tops of buildings, trees along the streets, poles and towers were occupied by the crowds to have a better view of the matinee-idol-turned politician.
Two killed during Chiru’s road show
One person’s fall from tree proves fatal, while the other gets trampled by crowd
ANANTAPUR:
Two persons were killed and another injured seriously during Praja Rajyam leader Chiranjeevi’s Praja Ankita Yatra in Dharmavaram on Monday.
In the first incident, two persons fell down from a tree at the NTR Circle in Dharmavaram while watching Mr. Chiranjeevi’s road show. Adinarayana (26) slipped and fell on the ground and Ramana (30) fell on him. While the former died on the way to hospital, Ramana is undergoing treatment in a hospital here. In the second incident, Tajuddin (36) was trampled to death by the crowd when he was running after Chiranjeevi’s vehicle.
PR leaders were not aware of the two incidents till they reached Bathalapalli where they informed Chiranjeevi. The PR president directed party leaders N.V. Prasad and V. Prabhakara Chowdary to rush to Dharmavaram and console the bereaved families. The party announced ex gratia of Rs. one lakh each to the families of the deceased.
PR divided over shortlisting and finalising aspirants
HYDERABAD:
The Praja Rajyam party has switched into overdrive trying to short-list the names of aspirants for Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies and, while on the job, the going appears to be getting tougher with leaders from two schools of thought trying to impose their will on party president K. Chiranjeevi.
While one school feels that any exercise to finalise candidates should start with the weaker sections, especially the Backward Classes, the other underscores the need for people from all sections to be included.
Ideological battle
Sources feel it boils down to an ideological battle those who are almost determined on playing caste-based politics and those who feel the need for ‘inclusive’ politics.
A case in point, highlighted recently, concerns Metpalli Assembly constituency in Karimnagar district. An MLA of the Bharatiya Janata Party between 1999 and 2004, the late Tummala Venkataramana Reddy (46), known locally as Damu, joined the PR party and was quickly made district in-charge. While one section wanted him as the party’s candidate from Metpalli, there was a strong lobby that wanted a candidate from the Backward Classes to be named.
However, Damu’s demise following a massive cardiac arrest last Wednesday put paid to the issue.
There was some talk in party circles though that his widow, Mamatha, may in all probability be fielded from the constituency in the elections.
Those for ‘inclusive’ politics also asked Mr. Chiranjeevi to go easy and not announce his ‘preferences’ during his road shows, referring to his speech at Sircilla where he said he would give the party ticket to someone from the weavers’ community.
The case of Manemma, a tribal woman from Pambali village in Vakadu mandal of Nellore district was received differently though and many Praja Rajyam leaders appreciated his decision in making her a brand ambassador for the party.
Given the fact that Mr. Chiranjeevi belongs to the ‘Kapu’ community and also because of his emphasis from day one on ‘social justice’, there has been a general preference among people who matter in the PR party, for those from the ‘weaker sections’.
As of now, though, those responsible for short-listing candidates are busy with the ‘verification’ before passing on the list of candidates to the party’s high command.
On the second leg of party President K. Chiranjeevi’s ‘Praja Ankitha Yatra’, leaders were busy discussing probable candidates.
They were doing a rigorous exercise to fix a ‘broad criteria’, district-wise, as to what communities and sections of people, the aspirants should belong.
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