A sting operation showing Chiranjeevi of the Prajarajyam Party sharing his intimate views with IT professional recently sent the fledgling party into a tizzy.

The nine-minute video clip of a closed-door meeting Chiranjeevi had with IT professionals was telecast by local news channels on Wednesday. The clip was also uploaded on the internet
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The video showed Chiranjeevi interacting with the IT professional on different issues like political corruption, SEZs, weavers' deaths, etc. During the interaction, Chiranjeevi asked the participants to be wary of politicians willing to join PRP.

He went on to observe, "It may be inevitable for the party in some places because of their experience but they don't bring in freshness." "The change we want to bring in will not be achieved if we open the floodgates to politicians," he added.

Chiranjeevi was also seen saying that PRP rank and file should mingle with their counterparts in other political parties and be friendly with them so that they can find out the developments there. "Some kind of spying," he told them, chuckling. In the same breath he advised them to be cautious lest they should land in trouble if they betray their real intentions.

Soon after the telecast of the video clipping, the bloggers were busy posting comments for and against the episode. It is not clear as to who is behind this sting operation and its purpose.

What baffled the party leadership was how the meeting held within the four walls of the party office was reported in the media. PRP sources say that an important file went missing from Chiranjeevi's office recently and they suspect that it is an insider job.

Following this, Chiranjeevi has kept the keys of his office with one of his most trusted secretaries, party sources added.

It may be recalled that party spokesman Parkala Prabhakar recently said that he had a strong feeling that their telephones were being tapped. He said the suspicion was strengthened since the discussion that had taken place between Allu Arvind and TRS MLA T Harish Rao was reported in toto by the media.

A secretly recorded video of megastar Chiran-jeevi giving directions to his party district coordinators to spy on leaders who have come in from other parties has embarrassed the Praja Rajyam to no end.

The video, which has been posted in popular website YouTube, was recorded with a spy camera by a leader who took part in the core committee meeting. It was also circulated to a section of the press. In the video, Chiranjeevi can be seen saying that many whom he considered close aides were passing on information to rivals.

“These days we can’t believe anybody however big they may be,” he says in the video grab. “After all we are all human beings and have so many desires. So I want you to spy on the movements of politicians in our party.” The Praja Rajyam is red-faced that a meeting which was held to chalk out plans to snoop on leaders was itself spied upon.

More so, since it has happened just two days after the party accused the government of tapping the cell phones of its leaders. The issue came out just days after this paper reported that party observers had been asked to spy on new entrants. Chiranjeevi’s directive has also given credence to criticism that Praja Rajyam istreating leaders who came in from the Congress and the Telugu Desam with derision and suspicion.

The core committee meeting was held in the context of a ‘classified file’ going missing from the Praja Rajyam headquarters despite it being under constant surveillance by CCTV cameras. The party spokesperson, Mr P. Mitra, however defended the plans to spy on the activities of the party leaders. “There is nothing wrong in it,” he said. “We are keeping tabs on the politicians who came in from other parties only to keep the party corruption free.”

This newspaper had reported the other day that the party had appointed district coordinators to spy on the movements of leaders. The Praja Rajyam top brass is also afraid that politicians from other parties may now think twice before crossing over. Meanwhile, the second phase of Chiranjeevi’s Praja Ankita Yatra will begin from Siricilla in Karimnagar district on Thursday.

Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi on Thursday virtually endorsed the demand for separate Telangana state, though he stopped short of announcing his party's stand on the issue.

Kicking off the second leg of his mass-contact programme from this handloom hub in the Telangana heartland, the Praja Rajyam party founder said he understood the sentiments of the people and their desire.

"I don't have any personal agenda. People's agenda is my agenda. I can understand the heartbeat of the people of Telangana. I honour the self-respect of the people of the region," he said, addressing a road show here.

Amid cheers from the large gathering, the megastar said he would spell out his party's stand on the statehood issue before completion of his present leg of tour.

"I will not leave Telangana without spelling out my stand on the most-awaited issue," Chiranjeevi said. The second round of his tour would cover Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam districts over the next eight days in Telangana region.

Without naming any one, he hit out at political parties for exploiting the innocence of Telangana people for their advantage.

Chiranjeevi's tour in Telangana is keenly watched in political circles as his stand on the statehood demand is expected to impact the outcome of the next year's assembly elections.

Since Telangana has emerged as a key issue ahead of polls, the megastar's position will influence the nature of alliances in the region.