Political Diary

Dismissing a report in a newspaper that the PRP leadership was thinking of shutting shop, he told reporters here today that if the party did not pick up strength, he would not mind forging alliances with other parties. He, however, did not name the party or parties he had in mind.

Charging two vernacular dailies with launching a vicious campaign against the PRP, he said a section of the media was writing adverse reports to create doubts in the minds of people. ``But people are with the PRP. If I go to districts a large number of people will follow me. I had to defer my tour programme in view of the Assembly session. I will go to people soon.’’

Some MLAs met party general secretary Allu Aravind last night to discuss their future, Chiranjeevi admitted. But none of them wanted Aravind to wind up the party as reported by the media.Internal differences were common to all parties, the PRP chief said.

Curiously, Aravind was not present at the press conference today to explain what exactly had happened the night before.Referring to TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu’s repeated remarks that the PRP was a `smaller party’, Chiranjeevi wanted to know what a smaller party meant. ``The Congress had only 26 MLAs in 1989 and the TDP 46 in the previous House.

Are they smaller parties by that yardstick?’’ he questioned.“I have launched the party and got 70 lakh votes in just eight months. By publishing adverse reports, the media is hurting the sentiments of 70 lakh people. A section of the media, which has a personal agenda of controlling the seat of power, seems to have vowed to eliminate the PRP,’’ Chiranjeevi said.