Date:06/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/06/stories/2009010656070400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Mitra may contest from Nellore

GUDURU (NELLORE DIST): Praja Rajyam president K. Chiranjeevi is understood to have said that the party official spokesman P. Mitra will contest from Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district in the coming elections.

The announcement was made at the district committee meeting held at Audisankara College of Engineering and Technology at Gudur in the district on Monday.

According to party sources, Mr. Chiranjeevi said that Mr. Mitra will be given ticket from Nellore district as he belonged to communist leader Puchalapalli Sundaraiah’s family and was a native of Nellore.

However, he did not clarify whether Mitra will contest for Parliament or Assembly segment and from which constituency he will contest in the district.

If this is so, the local party leaders who shifted from Telugu Desam and ruling Congress party into Praja Rajyam and are expecting tickets from the district were depressed with the party president’s decision to allot a seat to Mr. Mitra.

Meanwhile, Tupakula Munemma, to whom Mr. Chiranjeevi announced to give ticket in the coming general elections was seen moving hurriedly to have a glimpse of the party president in the public meetings. Ms. Munemma, who belonged to Yanadi community in the district, was a daily wage labourer in Vakadu mandal in the district.

The party president was impressed with her speech at ‘Mahila Varadhi’ meeting held at Hyderabad in November last year. Mr. Chiranjeevi directed the party leaders to go into the public, enquire about the problems and take steps for strengthening the party.