Chiranjeevi, Cong leaders to reach out to Seemandhra people

Union minister Chiranjeevi and other Seemandhra Congress leaders will undertake a 'bus yatra' in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions to reach out to voters and party workers, apparently to assuage the public anger over "unilateral" bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Congress is said to be at the receiving end of widespread anger in Seemandhra so much that the party is reportedly not being able to find candidates in the local body polls scheduled to be held ahead of general elections.

"We will organise meetings with party activists from 21st (of March) to 27th (March) from Srikakulam to Anantapur, two districts per day. We would like to galvanise the workers and boost their morale.

"We will explain what went behind Congress taking the decision (to divide AP), who were there and what are the benefits we are going to get, what are the facts," Chiranjeevi, who has been appointed as Chairman of Seemandhra Congress campaign committee, told reporters.

The campaign, under the leadership of Chiranjeevi, would begin in Srikakulam district, senior Congress leader Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said.

"The aim of this bus yatra is to meet Congress workers and supporters in every district and explain the ongoing developments and future course of action," he said.

The details of the tour programme would be explained tomorrow by the new PCC president for Andhra Pradesh (Seemandhra) N Raghuveera Reddy, former minister C Ramachandraiah said.

Congress has recently constituted separate state Congress committees for Telangana and (new) Andhra Pradesh, post the passage of Telangana bill in Parliament, which are headed by Ponnala Lakshmaiah and Raghuveera Reddy respectively.