Praja Rajyam, NTP heading for poll alliance

Hyderabad, Dec 21 : The Praja Rajyam Party of Telugu superstar-turned-politician Chiranjeevi and Nava Telangana Party (NTP) are heading for an electoral alliance, ahead of the Andhra Pradesh assembly polls due early next year.

T. Devender Goud, a former minister who quit the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to float the NTP for separate statehood to the Telangana region, Sunday visited the PRP office and met Chiranjeevi.

"We have decided to work together. The PRP has clarity on the issue of democratic Telangana state," Goud told reporters at the PRP office.

Goud and Chiranjeevi, who floated the PRP in August this year, said that they tried to have a better understanding of the policies of each other's party and evolve a joint strategy to fight for the problems of the people.

On the issue of an alliance between them, both leaders said that it will be premature to talk about it. The simultaneous polls to state assembly and the Lok Sabha are due early next year.

The development will give a boost to Chiranjeevi's party, which has so far failed to attract allies.

With this, the political alignment for the next year's polls is more or less decided now. The Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have already decided to join hands with the TDP.

All eyes are now on the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), whose president K. Chandrasekhara Rao is keeping his cards close to his chest.

There are chances that the TRS may join TDP-led alliance or the PRP, as both parties have declared their support to the demand for separate statehood to Telangana region, comprising 10 districts including Hyderabad.

The TRS has also not ruled out alliance with the ruling Congress party if the latter makes a clear commitment on a separate Telangana state.

The PRP received a boost with Congress legislator from Vijaywada V. Radhakrishna Sunday joining the party.