Demanding that the high command gives the ticket for the Tirupati byelections to a leader from the erstwhile Praja Rajyam, the leaders and cadre of the now defunct party on Saturday came out in an open revolt against the Congress leadership.
At an urgently convened meeting, the former PR leaders proposed a few names to the high command, including that of Saikam Jayachandra Reddy and Pasupuleti Hari Prasad, for the ticket.
Byelections to the Tirupati Assembly seat will take place after Mr K. Chiranjeevi was elected to the Rajya Sabha.
The meeting attended by almost all the prominent cadres of the former PR, led by Mr Jayachandra Reddy and Vooka Vijay Kumar. The attendees said that it is unfair to ignore the cadre of the erstwhile party.
They observed that supporters and fans of Mr Chiranjeevi had played a vital role in his election victory in 2009. “It is our (PR) right to get the Congress ticket now, following the merger of the Praja Rajyam into the Congress,” they said.
The unity among the cadre of the former PR has come to irk the Congress leaders, including aspirant and former MLA M. Venkataramana and mines minister Galla Aruna Kumari, who wants to field her son Galla Jayadev as the candidate.
Interestingly, the PR leaders concluded the meeting with an announc-ement that they would support any person, either from Congress leaders or the former PR leaders, provided Mr Chiranjeevi informs them to proceed with the campaign.
Earlier, the same group had vowed not to support the Congress candidate, whoever he might be, if he did not belong to their group.
Meanwhile, the former PR leaders’ meeting became a hot topic in the political circles of the pilgrim town, and its ramifications are expected to be felt in the coming days.