Chiranjeevi launches Praja Rajyam

Telugu film actor Chiranjeevi, who plunged into the field of politics 10 days ago, announced his party's name as ‘Praja Rajyam’ (People’s State) at a massive public meeting held in the temple town of Tirupati on Tuesday. The party flag is in white and green sporting a red glowing sun.

According to Chiranjeevi, the inspiration behind the design of the flag is nature. The sun represents energy, and as white is a mixture of different colours it indicates all sections of society besides transparency and good governance.

Green represents abundant food production. This apart, red represents Hinduism, white Christianity and green Islam. The red also represents revolution, the change the people are seeking.

The superstar who ruled the Telugu film industry for three decades, said the party's basic agenda was providing social justice and upliftment of the downtrodden. The party would tread on a progressive path leading to all round development, modernisation and industrial revolution.

“The goal is service to people, not power,” he said amidst applause from lakhs of his fans and admirers congregated at the Avilala tank, the venue of his public meeting.

Chiranjeevi, whose maiden name is Konidala Sivasankara Vara Prasad, said the goal of Praja Rajyam would be eradication of poverty and provision of health and education to all. He viewed naxalism as a socio-economic issue and not a law and order problem.

Opposing allotment of fertile farm lands for setting up special economic zones, he said that his party would provide only barren lands for industries. It would also strive to revive local self governance in villages.

He said backwardness of the region was the root cause for the demand for separate Telangana state. Separate statehood was not the solution. However, if the people of Telangana want a separate state, the issue has to be resolved amicably.

Tens of thousands of people from all over Andhra Pradesh came to Tirupati in 18 special trains and thousands of buses and cars to attend Chiranjeevi’s meeting, which indicated the support the film actor commands from the cross section of the people.

The state police had deployed 2,500 personnel to maintain law and order.