Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi meets Sonia Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi today met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi amid speculation that he will merge his party with the Congress.

PRP is expected to have held discussions on strengthening of the relationship between the two parties in Andhra Pradesh in his meeting with Gandhi, sources said.

Senior PRP leader C Ramachandriaia also accompanied Chiranjeevi in the meeting, which came against the backdrop of the agitation for separate Telangana state and churnings in the Andhra Pradesh Congress.

Defence Minister A K Antony and AICC in-charge for Andhra Pradesh M Veerappa Moily were also present in the meeting.

The meeting is expected to discuss proposals like PRP members being inducted into Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy Government among others.

Antony had met Chiranjeevi in Hyderabad recently and invited him for talks with Gandhi.

According to political analysts, Congress is roping in Chiranjeevi to counter the threat posed by its former MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's yet-to-be launched party. Congress also feels that PRP's 18 MLAs can save its government in AP by shoring up the legislative arithmetic if there is a threat to it.

Chiranjeevi had on Saturday said the decision to join Congress will be taken only after meeting Gandhi.

"I can say only after the meeting," he had said when asked whether his party will join the Congress government.

Chiranjeevi also said there was no going back on his party's stand of a united Andhra Pradesh.