Praja Rajyam Falg

Praja Rajyam Flag

HYDERABAD: Chiranjeevi, the new star on Andhra Pradesh’s political map, launched his long-awaited political party called Praja Rajyam (People’s Rule) at a mega rally on Tuesday and vowed to bring a change in the state’s politics.

Timing the launch with the birth anniversary of Mother Teresa, he also unfurled his party’s flag —white on the top and green at the bottom and a sun with 24 rays in the centre.

Though not known as an orator, Chiranjeevi spoke for about two hours and outlined the policies and priorities of his party, coming down heavily on allotment of farm land for special economic zones (SEZs). “The government is supposed to be the trustee of public property. It should not acquire arable land from farmers and allot it to SEZs and industries,” he said. However, he clarified his party would not oppose industrialization per se.

The much-hyped political entry of the 56-year old Telugu film star is all set to reshuffle the state’s political equation. Though the newly born party is said to be against poaching of leaders from other parties, there has been migration of several key leaders from other parties like the Telugu Desam Party.

He spoke of his commitment to eradicate poverty, health and education for all and promised to bring in an egalitarian society by balancing reservation policy with an equally important treatment for the economically backward class. “We will identify this category as a new group called the EBCs,” Chiranjeevi said.

Evading any direct policy statement on issues like Maoists, separate statehood for Telangana and categorization of scheduled castes into groups, Chiranjeevi said, “A final decision would be taken only after thorough research and due consultation within the party”.

He said the Maoist problem was more related to poverty in rural areas. On Telangana too he was non committal: “The (Telangana) region is backward. We will try and fill the gap and still if people insist on separation, we will peacefully allow it.”

-SearchSpiderz