PR tries to save its men from poaching

BY J.R.PRASAD

Hyderabad, May 9: The Praja Rajyam has summoned Assembly and Lok Sabha candidates to the party headquarters after the counting of votes is completed on May 16 to keep them from being poached by other parties.

All winning candidates have been summoned by the party leadership to be present at the party’s headquarters by 6 pm of May 16. “We have decided to hold the meeting of the PR Legislature Party on May 16 evening at the party central office. The MLAs will elect their leader,” said Mr T. Devender Goud, PR vice-president. “We have asked our candidates to be present at the party office.”
The move to summon the new MLAs comes in the backdrop of the party’s observers reporting that the PR may not win more than 60 seats.
The PR chief, Chiranjeevi, on Saturday held an emergency meeting with the members of the political affairs committee to chalk out post-poll strategies in the event of a hung House.
Sources said the PR chief was still confident of securing not less than 160 seats but asked his senior colleagues to be prepared to face a fractured verdict.
A leader who took part in the meeting quoted Chiranjeevi as saying that even in the event of a hung House, the PR would form government with the help of other parties. During the meet, Chiranjeevi reportedly sought the opinion of his party functionaries on the proposed camp. Some suggested that he hold the camp from the night of May 15, so as to keep flock together. But, a majority of the leaders advised the PR chief to hold the camp on May 16 evening after counting ends.