Praja Rajyam chief K Chiranjeevi on Wednesday bought 15 days time from his MLAs to come out with a clear stand on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh even as the party found itself in a muddle following speculation that he is now pitching for a unified state.
As rumours did the rounds that Chiranjeevi was about to make a statement on PRP's changed stand on the division of the state, irate leaders from different districts of Telangana descended on the party headquarters here to express their displeasure.
Presidents of PRP's Medak, Nalgonda, Karimnagar, Mahbubnagar, Warangal and Hyderabad districts came rushing to the party office and then drove to Chiranjeevi's residence for a meeting to "settle" the issue.
PRP's MLA from Telangana region A Maheswar Reddy too joined the meeting and sought a clarification from Chiranjeevi on reports that he was now favouring a unified state against the party's line for a 'saamajika' (social) Telangana.
Chiranjeevi reportedly told them that there was no reversal of the party's stand on Telangana and it still stood by its commitment. "Don't believe in rumours. Reports that I have changed my stand are absolutely false," he assured them.
As MLAs from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions too joined the meeting, Chiranjeevi reiterated that no decision has been taken yet on the contentious Telangana issue.
"Give me 15 days time to come out with a clear stand," Maheswar Reddy quoted Chiranjeevi as saying.
Chiranjeevi is said to have informed his party leaders that he would take a stand on Telangana only after the Centre spells out it final decision.
PRP's official spokesman Shravan Kumar told PTI at the end of the meeting that there was immense pressure on Chiranjeevi to support a unified state.
"With 15 MLAs from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions and one from Telangana submitting their resignation to assembly speaker in support of a unified state, Chiranjeevi is obviously under pressure. But he told us that he was not yielding to any pressure," Shravan said.
On the demand for creating separate units of the party for different regions, the spokesman said no discussion took place on this issue.
Shravan also condemned rumours that Chiranjeevi would visit Tirupati, the Assembly constituency he represents, and campaign for a unified Andhra Pradesh from Thursday.
Meanwhile, students from Osmania University tried to stage a protest outside PRP office at Jubilee Hills protesting Chiranjeevi's support for a unified state but police foiled the attempt and removed to nearby police station.
On the other hand, theatres stopped screening of films starring Chiranjeevi's son Ramcharan Tej (Magadheera) and nephew Allu Arjun (Arya-2) in different parts of Telangana in protest against Chiranjeevi's stand on the statehood issue.
