Praja Rajyam to test waters in local elections

In what could be its first litmus test in electoral politics after its grand formation in Tirupati on August 26, Chiranjeevi’s Prajarajyam party is all set to contest the ZPTC and the MPTC by-elections to be held in the second week of October. But, the catch is that its candidates may not get an official election symbol and they may be contesting as independents since the party’s registration process with the Election Commission is yet to be formalised. The district administration is holding the by-elections to two ZPTCs and four MPTCs in next three weeks. The Allagadda ZPTC seat fell vacant after the death of its member V Adenna, a Telugu Desam candidate, while the Aluru seat fell vacant as Masala Eranna, who won on the Congress ticket, resigned after he fell out with local minister M Mareppa. Sources said the Prajarajyam is keen to wrest both the two seats. Allagadda natives former MP Bhuma Nagi Reddy and his wife Shobha Reddy, who have joined the Prajarajyam, have already begun moves to pitchfork their staunch follower Adenna’s son Ramana from Alladadda. Ramana has joined the Prajarajyam party recently. “The time has come for us to show our strength in the constituency by winning the seat with a huge majority,” a close associate of Nagi Reddy told media on Thursday. But, sources said that both the Congress and the TDP are also attaching equal importance to the seat. The bypoll for the Aluru ZPTC seat may turn out to be key for Eranna, who has also joined the Prajarajyam. “The election will be interesting since Mareppa, Eranna and MLC Padmaja of TDP are vying for honours,” an insider close to Padmaja said. A political analyst said this poll could be the dress rehearsals for the next general elections, which might see triangular contests in Kurnool district.