Chiru tour not cancelled: Mitra
Victims of tragedies that occurred during the campaign will be compensated, he says
VISAKHAPATNAM:
Praja Rajyam spokesman P. Mitra has announced that the party president Chiranjeevi will cover the areas not covered in the district before beginning the second phase of the Praja Ankita Yatra.
Chiranjeevi was forced to cut short his tour of the district as his voice became hoarse as a result of addressing meetings and he developed throat infection during road shows in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts during the past few days. He put up at a makeshift camp beside the National Highway (NH-5) at Vugginapalem, about 10 km. away from Anakapalle town, on Wednesday night.
Addressing the media at Vugginapalem on Thursday morning, Dr. Mitra clarified that the tour was not cancelled but was deferred due to the sore throat developed by Chiranjeevi. He said that the fresh dates of the party president’s tour in the district would soon be announced in Hyderabad. He said that the welfare schemes initiated by the Government would be continued if Praja Rajyam was voted to power.
He deplored the handing over of large chunks of fertile lands to big industrial houses in the name of Special Economic Zones (SEZ s) and Coastal Corridor. While the PRP was not opposed to industrialization, it would not tolerate if the industrialists were given 200 acres when they needed only 20 acres. The surplus land was being used to promote real estate business. Dr. Mitra said the party would stand by those displaced by the bauxite project, SEZ and Coastal Corridor and fight for their rights.
Chiranjeevi to take rest in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD:
Praja Rajyam spokesperson Parakala Prabhakar on Thursday evening termed the Election Commission (ECI) according recognition as a State party a ‘forgeone conclusion’.
“We had filed all the documents as asked by the EC and we never had any doubts about getting recognition,” he said, adding the certificate would be sent in a day or two.
Meanwhile, party president Chiranjeevi returned home on Thursday afternoon by a scheduled flight from Visakhapatnam, to a rousing reception from party men and his campaign managers. Unable to bear the heat and dust during his tour of the North Coastal Andhra, the actor-turned-politician was forced to cut his tour short as doctors felt he could not strain his already battered throat.
Immediately on arrival, he was driven straight to his home on Road No. 25, Jubilee Hills. It is said that he would not stir out of his residence at least for three or four days.
Election Commission’s nod for Praja Rajyam
NEW DELHI:
The Election Commission on Thursday approved the registration of Praja Rajyam, the party floated by actor Chiranjeevi in Andhra Pradesh.
Commission sources said that it had given a personal hearing to the representative of the party to give certain clarifications and also to ascertain the correctness or otherwise of the affidavits submitted by Mr. Chiranjeevi for the purpose of registration as a regional party in Andhra Pradesh.
Documents ‘in order’
Sources said “all the documents submitted by the actor were in order and the certificate of registration will be issued in a day or two.”
Regarding symbol, sources said that it would be open to the party to choose a ‘free’ symbol at the time of elections.
PRP flag hoisted
BHIMAVARAM:
Marampudi Jyothi hoisted the Praja Rajyam Party flag at Dirusumarrru village of Bhimavaram mandal on Thursday. S. Satya Prasad of the party said that people were voluntarily coming forward to become members of the party.
Party leaders D.S. Raju, B. Raja Rammohan Ray, B. Peda Babu and others were present.
Raghuveera fires fresh salvo at Chiranjeevi
‘PR chief should disclose remuneration from each film’
Minister accuses Praja Rajyam chief of demanding Rs. 4-5 crore each from ticket aspirants
‘Aspirants for 150 Assembly constituencies shortlisted from neo-rich section’
ANANTAPUR:
Intensifying the Congress diatribe against the Praja Rajyam (PR) and its founder Chiranjeevi, Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy said the former owed an explanation to people on various issues related to the party affairs and his income as highest-paid hero.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, he said the Congress party was expecting PR to be different from other political parties on the block and it had given such an impression initially. But, as the time passed-by, Mr. Chiranjeevi appeared to be losing patience and reacting sharply even to small posers.
“If he (Mr. Chiranjeevi) could cut short his visit and his voice is trembling unable to face small criticism on his income as hero, how could he tread the long path ahead,” the Minister sought to know. “He is required to let the people know the remuneration he has taken for each film and whether all his income is shown to the Income Tax Department.”
It had become imperative, particularly when he was talking about corruption in the government and politics. The Minister sought to know details from where the funds required for Tirupati meeting were arranged as Mr. Chiranjeevi’s brother had claimed that they had not collected any party fund and had been spending from their hard earned money and by disposing properties.
Further, the Minister alleged that the PR had been demanding aspirants Rs. 4-5 crore each for party ticket and picking up the neo-rich, who had earned heavily with businesses like real estate, who could spend at least another Rs. 10 crore for election. Aspirants for about 150 assembly constituencies were learnt to have been shortlisted already from such “eligible” section, the Congress leader said.
‘PR no different’
The Congress expected PR to be different from other parties, but it too appeared to have joined the bandwagon of parties who were depending purely on the negative vote against the government. Congress would be benefited further if the PR too depended on the same. Mr. Chiranjeevi had nothing to offer to the people afresh as Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy had left nothing to be promised by the opposition parties. Jayaprakash Narayan’ Lok Satta was much better in this regard as it had been promising something new that was not being offered by other parties.
Mr. Raghuveera Reddy also likened the political adventure of Mr. Chiranjeevi to that of Vijaykanth in Tamil Nadu.
He stated that the Tamil hero had his first public meeting with 14-lakh gathering, but did not get even a couple of Assembly seats.
Stating that there was little support for cine glamour from public, he cited the recent Karnataka Assembly elections, where only two out of the 14 cine personalities had won the election.
Congress funds
Asked whether the Congress would tell people how it had met the huge expenditure for conducting the last month’s public meeting of AICC president Sonia Gandhi here, the Minister said leaders and activists had pooled in the money. The party would give the details if anybody was interested, he said.
Ministers decry PR chief’s remarks
VISAKHAPATNAM:
Strongly contesting the statements of Praja Rajyam Party chief Chiranajeevi during his just- concluded tour that there was no development in north Andhra districts because of lack of commitment on the part of leaders, Ministers – Konathala Ramakrishna (Commercial Taxes) and Botcha Satyanarayana (Housing) – dared him to point the field or sector where there was no development.
“Let Mr. Chiranjeevi be specific so that we will react,” the Ministers said. Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, the Ministers asserted that there was all-round development in the last four and a half years. It had become a habit of all and sundry to make sweeping statements and talk about corruption, nepotism, family rule etc. Before making charges of corruption, Mr. Chiranjeevi should look at “the company he keeps,” Mr. Ramakrishna said.
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