Krishnam Raju quits Chiranjeevi’s party
July 31st, 2009 - 1:40 pm ICT by IANS
Hyderabad, July 31 (IANS) Veteran actor and former union minister U.V. Krishnam Raju Friday quit Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party (PRP).
Raju, who had left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for PRP, is the second key leader to quit the party after its disastrous performance in the simultaneous polls to the Andhra Pradesh state assembly and the Lok Sabha.
Raju told a Telugu television channel that he quit the PRP as it had failed to reach out to the masses and use his services. He said he would not join any party.
He had been keeping away from the party’s activities ever since he lost the Rajahamundry Lok Sabha polls to U. Arun Kumar of the Congress.
The PRP, floated by Chiranjeevi in August last year, could get only 18 seats in the 294-member state assembly and drew blank in elections to 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
In June, Chiranjeevi’s friend and PRP founder member P. Mitra quit the party due to “personal reasons”.
Raju had joined the PRP in March this year. He had then said that he was planning to retire from politics but decided to join the PRP as he was impressed with Chiranjeevi’s policies and commitment.
Raju, who represented Narsapur Lok Sabha seat in West Godavari district, was minister of state for external affairs in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 2000 to 2004. He, however, lost the 2004 elections from the same constituency.
He began his film career in 1966 and has acted in over 180 films.
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- Krishnam Raju, Murali Mohan in star fight for Rajahmundry - Apr 04, 2009
- It's curtains for Chiranjeevi's PRP - Mar 12, 2012
- Chiranjeevi satisfied with inclusion in Congress panel - Dec 23, 2011
- Chiranjeevi to take Congress membership Aug 20 - Aug 13, 2011
- Chiranjeevi, Renuka, four others file papers for Rajya Sabha - Mar 19, 2012
- Chiranjeevi's PRP merges with Congress - Jun 13, 2011
- Andhra parties welcome by-poll schedule - Apr 24, 2012
- Telugu film stars failed to shine in polls - May 17, 2009
- Krishnam Raju not included in BJP's second list for Andhra - Mar 17, 2009
- Chiru, a superstar whose political party proved a flop (Profile) - Feb 06, 2011
- YSR Congress elated over first win outside Kadapa - Mar 21, 2012
- Chiranjeevi to campaign for Congress in Karnataka - Apr 06, 2011
- TDP's Devender Goud, Ramesh file papers for Rajya Sabha - Mar 19, 2012
Tags: andhra pradesh state, arun kumar, bharatiya janata party, chiranjeevi, external affairs, film career, founder member, krishnam raju, lok sabha polls, lok sabha seats, national democratic alliance, praja, prp, simultaneous polls, state assembly, television channel, telugu television, union minister, veteran actor, west godavari district