Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) Monday formally merged with the ruling Congress party in Andhra Pradesh, bringing curtains on the party floated by Telugu superstar K. Chiranjeevi in 2008.
The Election Commission of India gave its approval to the merger, and the state election commission Monday received the documents in this regard.
PRP leader C. Ramchandraiah told reporters that with this the process of merger was completed and all legal formalities fulfilled.
In March, the PRP submitted to the Election Commission of India unanimous resolutions passed by the state executive as well as the district units in support of party president Chiranjeevi’s decision to merge the party with the Congress.
With the completion of merger process, the assembly speaker will now treat all 18 legislators of the PRP as members of the Congress party.
This will increase the Congress’s strength in the 294-member assembly to 173 at a time when opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) plans to move a no-confidence motion against the government.
Two to three legislators of the PRP are likely to be inducted into the state cabinet while Chiranjeevi may become a minister at the centre.
The actor-turned-politician decided to merge his party with the Congress in February this year.
It was on Aug 26, 2008, that Chiru, as he is popularly known among his fans, launched the PRP on the slogan of social justice and promised to provide an alternative to both the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
However, in 2009 elections the PRP got only 18 seats and drew a blank in the Lok Sabha elections.