Chiranjeevi satisfied with inclusion in Congress panel

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Actor-turned-politician K. Chiranjeevi on Friday said he was satisfied with his inclusion in the state Congress committee to ensure better coordination between the party and the Andhra Pradesh government.

Chiranjeevi, who is still waiting for his inclusion in the central or the state cabinet, was included in the panel which was reconstituted on Thursday.

The legislator from Tirupati told reporters at Renigunta airport near the temple town that he was satisfied with the responsibility given to him by the party.

The panel comprises Congress general secretary in charge of party affairs in the state Ghulam Nabi Azad, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana, Chiranjeevi, D. Srinivas and Mohammed Ali Shabbir.

Chiranjeevi, who merged his Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) into the Congress, said it was for the party leadership to decide whom to include in the ministry.

The Congress is likely to send the Telugu superstar to the Rajya Sabha in April next year and accommodate him in the central cabinet.

He is also hoping for ministerial berths to at least three of his colleagues in the state cabinet.

Chiranjeevi was confident that the party would not do injustice to anyone. He dismissed speculations that if he and his colleagues did not get due importance in the Congress he would revive the PRP.

Before opposing the no-confidence motion moved by opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the assembly earlier this month, the PRP legislators had openly voiced their unhappiness over the delay in accommodating them in the cabinet and other posts.

The Congress leadership had intervened to give assurance to Chiranjeevi and his legislators that the party would take care of them.

The PRP, which has 18 members in the 295-member house, opposed the no-confidence motion. One legislator, opposed to PRP's merger with the Congress, violated the party whip.

Chiranjeevi had launched the PRP Aug 26, 2008 on the slogan of social justice and promised to provide an alternative to both the Congress and TDP.

However, in the 2009 elections the PRP got only 18 assembly seats and drew a blank in the Lok Sabha elections. Chiranjeevi merged his party with the Congress in August this year.