HYDERABAD: Enthused over success in the election of Speaker, the Congress high command has turned its focus on other pending issues including finding a new PCC chief, expansion of state cabinet and announcing the date for formal merger of PRP with the Congress party.
Soon after the assembly adjourned sine die, Chiranjeevi left for the national capital. He will be meeting the AICC in-charge of state affairs, Gulam Nabi Azad, to discuss the formal merger and his future role in the party affairs. The possibility of discussing the issue of accommodating PRP leaders in the state cabinet is not ruled out, according to party sources.
With the absence of about 21 Congress members when the election for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker took place on Saturday, the support of PRP's 18 members saved the government from embarrassment.
According to the indications available from AICC sources, the exercise of cabinet expansion is expected to be taken up now and by next week the chief minister may be asked to complete the process which will be followed by the announcement of the new PCC president. PRP sources are hopeful to get three berths in the cabinet while from Congress side J C Diwakar Reddy, seniormost member in House and the day's protem speaker is tipped to join the cabinet. Sources say, "Since the MLAs from YS Jagan camp also cooperated in the election of the Speaker, the CM may not drop any of those who are said to be close to Jagan. Instead he will take a couple MLAs from the PRP side and effect a reshuffle of portfolios," the sources say.
As for the PCC president is concerned, the competition is said to have narrowed down to three people, Botsa Satyanarayana, Kanna Lakshminarayana and Ponnala Lakshmaiah, all ministers in Kiran's cabinet. All of them are Kapus of different hues.
No comments:
Post a Comment