Is Congress embrace a killer bear-hug for Chiru ?

Is Chiranjeevi, who once made a mark on the celluloid, exhilarated by the invitation from the Congress or is he finding himself perplexed?

According to analysts, the PRP chief is wary that the embrace by the Congress may not turn out to be the bear-hug which kills.

Following the High Command’s ‘offer’ through the AICC special representative A K Antony, the Praja Rajyam Party leaders will discuss the Congress High Command's 'invitation' extended to party president K Chiranjeevi on February 3 and 4. The meeting will see the PRP leaders assemble to discuss their 'bargaining capacity' threadbare.

Mr Chiranjeevi will utilise the occasion to seek his Legislators' nod and also to gauge their intentions.

In the event of some of the Legislators not finding a berth in case the PRP gets a chance to share power with the ruling Congress, what shall be the reaction from the Legislators who are left out and denied a Ministerial berth would the question uppermost in his mind.

Would it prove detrimental to the interests of the PRP or would the unlucky Legislators still continue

to remain loyal to the Party is something which only 'time' will prove.

As of now, two PRP Legislators have already openly sided with Kadapa's rebel leader who is inclined to start his own party. Mr Jaganmohan Reddy has already announced his party's name.

The PRP entering into a full-fledged tie-up with the Congress should not prove 'fatal' to the very party's existence.

Today, Mr Chiranjeevi made clear to the visiting media persons that he was ruling out the merger plans with the Congress party. His word essentially mean that Mr Chiranjeevi was firm on extending support from the outside with some of his prospective and aspiring Legislators joining the government for the first time.

Indications are that PRP and Congress will share power before the Budget Session that is slated for February 17.

Congress saw the need to materialise it in the wake of Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu waiting in the wings to table a Floor Test to embarrass the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government. When would this Test of Strength materialise is just a matter of conjecture as it is not yet clear with the TDP playing cards close to his chest.

His game plan eludes even his top aides' understanding.

Truly, Mr Chiranjeevi's back-up mechanism has turned out to be vital to ruling Congress.

How his partymen react in the ensuing meeting to the current 'invitation' remains to be seen.

Will he (Chiranjeevi) be able to keep his flock together after accepting power sharing business or will the YS Jaganmohan Reddy factor prove fatal to PRP.

A political naive, the once megastar, has been forced to think for himself – what should be the priority.