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Praja Rajyam Party president and Telugu megastar of Telugu films Chiranjeevi released the first list of his party for the state assembly and Lok Sabha election on Friday, giving a major share of the tickets to the weaker sections. Of the 100 names announced for the assembly elections, 48 belong to the backward classes, 13 to scheduled castes, seven to scheduled tribes, five to the minorities and 27 to the forward castes.
The party also announced candidates for nine Lok Sabha constituencies giving representation to all the sections. "We are well on the way to fulfill the promise of social justice by giving more tickets to the backward classes and other weaker sections than any other party", said Chiranjeevi after releasing the list at Jaggampeta in East Godavari district. This is the first time that any political party announced the list of candidates away from Hyderabad.
Chiranjeevi himself will be contesting for assembly from the temple town of Tirupati. His name was announced by senior party leader Harirama Jogaiah.
Chiru chose the auspicious day of 'Ugadi' the Telugu new year day, to announce the much awaited list. Dressed in new cream color dhoti and kurta, a smiling and confident Chiranjeevi said that the candidates were chosen after an elaborate exercise and he was confident of PRP sweeping the elections. "The doors are closed", he said when asked about the possibility of PRP's alliance with any other party.
He also made it clear that his younger brothers and film actors Pavan Kalyan and Naga Babu will not be contesting elections. "They have taken this decision on their own and I appreciate it. They have discharged their responsibilities very well", he said. However his brother in law and film producer Allu Arvind will be contesting the election. He is likely to be fielded from a Lok Sabha constituency in Krishna or West Godavari district.
The notable among the Lok Sabha constituencies including former Home Minister T Devender Goud from Malkajgiri, former IPS officer D T Naik from Mahbubabad. The party has also fielded a Muslim woman Fatima from the Muslim dominated constituency of Hyderabad.
The prominent candidates for the state assembly include Shobha Nagi Reddy from Allagadda, Praja Rajyam women wing chief Shobha Rani from Aler, Feroze Khan from Nampally and Mir Yusuf Ali from Charimnar in Hyderabad.