At least seven MLAs belonging to Praja Rajyam Party are eager to join the Congress party as early as possible.

According to the Gandhi Bhavan sources, these MLAs, a couple of them belonging to Rayalaseema, one MLA from Telagnana and rest from coastal Andhra contacted Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy individually in the last two days and expressed their willingness to join the Congress. They are apparently lost hope in PRP president Chiranjeevi’s abilities to lead the party to victory at least in the next elections.

According to them, Chiranjeevi is heavily depending on a few leaders surrounding him and is not a position to chalk out strategies. At least their political future would be secured, if they joined the Congress, they felt.

However, YSR asked them not to be hasty. “If you join the Congress now, I will get a bad image of poaching the MLAs in the initial days itself. You be there in the PRP and then, support the Congress. In the long run, I will protect your interests,” he is learnt to have told them.