The Congress high command has invited Praja Rajyam President Chiranjeevi for talks to Delhi to strengthen the “existing working arrangement” between the two parties, Andhra Pradesh Congress president D Srinivas said in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
“This is not the beginning. It has already begun. Chiranjeevi had gone to Delhi, met ‘Madam’ and party leaders. He has expressed his friendliness towards Congress. As a good gesture, to strengthen the working arrangement between the two parties, he has been invited to Delhi. He will discuss all issues in Delhi,” Mr. Srinivas told reporters here.
He declined to go into the details when asked about plans of Congress vis-a-vis Mr. Chiranjeevi.
Defence Minister A K Antony met Mr. Chiranjeevi at the latter’s residence here on Monday to invite him for a meeting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
“Why he is invited to Delhi, only time will tell. You have to wait and watch,” Mr. Srinivas, who accompanied Mr. Antony during the talks with Mr. Chiranjeevi, said.
Asked if Mr. Chiranjeevi is being roped in to ensure the safety of the party government in the State, Mr. Srinivas said there is absolutely no threat to the government and that it would continue in power till the next elections in 2014.
There is no need to link the move to invite PRP with the dissidence of party MLAs loyal to Mr. Jagan, he said.
Asked about the comments of some Congress leaders that the party would be weakened in Telangana as Mr. Chiranjeevi is in favour of united Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Srinivas said the responsibility to resolve the Telangana issue lay with the UPA government and party high command.
When asked if the Congress would speak to TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao too, he said: “We will speak to those whom we need to speak to. Why are you in a hurry?”.
Asked if the Congress would speak to former MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy too, the State Congress President said: “We may speak to anyone as per the situation, or they may extend a helping hand, we might accept it. It could be anybody”.
Congress activists are jubilant over the friendship hand extended to Mr. Chiranjeevi, he said.
“The Defence Minister met our party president Mr. Chiranjeevi on behalf of the Congress party to extend an invitation to visit New Delhi to meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi to further strengthen the relationship (between the two parties) and work together in the interest of the nation and Andhra Pradesh in particular,” PRP Political Affairs Committee member C Ramachandraiah said after the meeting.
