Hyderabad, August 22: The process of merger of the Praja Rajyam Party with the ruling Congress was completed Monday with its legislators and leaders taking Congress membership here.
The occasion, coinciding with the 56th birthday of PRP chief K. Chiranjeevi, was celebrated with a meeting at Gandhi Bhavan, the Congress party headquarters.
PRP legislators and state-level leaders took the Congress party membership from state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana in the presence of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Chiranjeevi, who already took the party membership in Delhi two days ago.
The actor-turned-politician, who had floated PRP in 2008 with the slogan of social justice, said it was a memorable birthday celebrations for him. He said he was happy to merge his party with Congress.
The merger was completed on a day when 29 legislators, including 26 of Congress party loyal to YSR Congress party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, resigned to protest the inclusion of his father and late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's name in an FIR registered by CBI.
PRP has 18 legislators including Chiranjeevi. However, one legislator of the party loyal to Jaganmohan Reddy resigned Monday.
Chiranjeevi, the chief minister and also state Congress president referred to the resignations and criticized Jagan, without naming him.
Chiranjeevi said there was no threat to the government and it would continue to function in a smooth manner. He said the legislators who resigned Monday were supporting corruption by siding with those facing corruption charges.
Kiran Kumar Reddy said nobody can defeat Congress party and exuded confidence that it would emerge stronger.
Without naming Jagan, Botsa Satyanarayana alleged that some people were using money power to buy legislators.
"They think they can do anything by using money power. It is the responsibility of every Congress worker to defeat the conspiracy to destabilize the government," he said.
