PR faces ire of reject leaders

By J.R.PRASAD

Hyderabad, March 27: Those who sang paeans about the Praja Rajyam till yesterday, are now cursing the party.

Like the Congress and the Telugu Desam, the PR is also witnessing the wrath of leaders who were denied tickets.

A PR activist from Nagarkurnool tried to immolate himself in front of the PR’s headquarters at Jubilee Hills here on Friday. His demand: Mr Dileep be given a ticket.

The police intervened when the situation became tense. The activist was later taken to hospital.

Followers of ticket aspirants from Qutbullapur, Goshamahal and Maheswaram Assembly segments also staged protests in front of the PR’s central office in Hyderabad.

A close aide of Pavan Kalyan, Mr Venkata Prasad, who aspired for the Maheswaram Assembly seat, broke down at the party office soon after knowing that the ticket was allotted to Mr A.V.N. Reddy, who owns educational institutions.

Ms Mamata Reddy, wife of former MLA Mr Ramana Reddy, who aspired for Metpally, staged a dharna in front of Pavan Kalyan’s residence for being denied a ticket.

In Srikakulam, MLC Mr G. Haribabu Naidu resigned from the party for not being given a ticket. Soon after, he announced that he would contest from Etcherla Assembly as an Independent candidate against Mr Kala Venkata Rao, the Praja Rajyam’s candidate.