Mitra irked by PR acts

BY J.R.PRASAD

Hyderabad Dec. 1: Key leaders in the Praja Rajyam have started resenting the indifference of the party leadership on formulating policies and creating an organisational set up. After veteran politician, Mr Ch. Harirama Jogaiah, raised doubts on the capabilities of Chiranjeevi in his “soul-searching” letter, it is now the turn of Dr Puchalapalli Mitra, a close aide of Chiranjeevi. Dr Mitra, who used to go regularly to the PR central office, seldom goes there now.

He is apparently irked by the party leadership’s refusal to take key leaders into confidence on party affairs. Mr Mitra who is also the spokesperson of the party, is believed to be unhappy with with the party leadership’s overconfidence while preparing the party for the ensuing elections. According to sources, Mr Mitra who did the preparatory work to launch the PR is now of the opinion that he has been sidelined by the leaders after his efforts to forge an alliance with the Left did not succeed. Sources said that the PR is blaming Mr Mitra for the Left’s preference of the Telugu Desam.

Close aides of Mr Mitra said that he was helpless as PR failed to create an organisational set up which was crucial for any political party. “Besides lack of organisational set up, the dilly-dallying attitude of the PR top brass over formulating policies on key issues like economic reforms, World Bank policies and categorisation of SCs led the Left to prefer the TD to the PR,” a senior party leader close to Mr Mitra said on condition of anonymity.
According to sources, Mr Mitra, is also angry with the PR leadership’s recent inclination towards the BJP.

It is learnt that Mr Mitra was also against the PR top brass encouraging cash rich leaders in various constituencies despite their poor influence among the public. Efforts to contact Mr Mitra on this issue failed. It may be recalled here that the PR leader and MLC from Srikakulam district Mr G. Haribabu Naidu also said a week ago that many leaders in the party were annoyed by the adamant attitude of the PR leaders.