The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Congress rift to the fore over CM candidate

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 30, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Congress rift to the fore over CM candidate

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 29. Differences among Congress leaders surfaced again today with a couple of senior leaders proposing alternatives to Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy as Chief Minister in the event of the party coming back to power.

Holding separate press conferences, senior Congress leaders — G. Venkataswamy and Nadendla Bhaskar Rao — played the Telangana and `collective leadership' cards to try and scuttle the `chances' of Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Mr. Venkataswamy advised the party to consider a Telangana leader for the post in view of the `injustice' done to the region. He said an agitation might be launched within six months if a non-Telangana man became Chief Minister — an obvious hint that Telangana forces would prepare to topple the non-Telangana man's Government.

Mr. Venkataswamy said Telangana leaders were relegated to insignificant positions compared to Andhras. Only a Chief Minister from the Telangana region would do `justice' to the region by immediately taking up the `Telangana cause', he said. Refusing to disclose whether he was in the race for the post, he said the majority opinion would prevail at the legislature party meet. However, the party high command could have the final say going by past experience, he added.

As he had contested for the Lok Sabha the party should consider someone else, he said. He opposed the PCC president's proposal for forming a coalition Government despite securing a majority.

The former Chief Minister, N. Bhaskar Rao, downplayed the role of Dr. Reddy in the campaign. At best, his role would be `one of the many factors' for a possible good show at the hustings, he said. `Collective leadership' would be the reason for any positive poll outcome, he said, citing the `bus yatra' as a turning point rather than Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy's `padayatra' or `jaitra yatra.' He said Sonia Gandhi was the party's vote-catcher. The APCC president, D. Srinivas, denounced "a section" that was inimical to the interest of BCs. Anti-BC forces were behind the campaign to oust him, he said. On his way back from a tour of the hailstorm-affected Yacharam mandal in Ranga Reddy district, Mr. Srinivas challenged his detractors to prove their allegations. Giving `B' forms from the residence was a usual practice. The high command could initiate any enquiry into the allegation of sale of ticket and if this was proved he would step down immediately, he said.

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