GETTING DOUBTS CLEARED: P. Janardhan Reddy, MLA, seeking a clarification on Pothireddypadu project from Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy at the two-day brainstorming session of the Congress in Hyderabad on Friday. — PHOTO: SATISH. H.

HYDERABAD: The two-day brainstorming session of the Congress concluded without either taking stock of the Rajasekhara Reddy Government's performance or forging a better understanding between the workers and the leaders as proposed earlier by APCC president K. Keshava Rao.

Good books

Most of the leaders, barring V. Hanumantha Rao, Madhu Yashki Goud, both MPs, P. Janardhan Reddy and M.Shashidhar Reddy, MLAs, used the opportunity to get into the good books of Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy. Some delegates commented "how can there be a meaningful debate when the Cabinet expansion is due and the Legislative Council to be revived shortly".

Contrary to expectations, the voices of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema leaders in seeking separate States were stronger than those of the Telangana leaders. The latter were "disciplined" in the very beginning as AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh set the tone for the debate by making it clear that the party high command was in favour of setting up a second States Reorganisation Commission (SRC).

Taking the cue, some non-Telangana leaders stretched the argument by suggesting that Andhra Pradesh be carved into three States.

Tempers ran high on Friday when V. Vasanth Kumar, Ungutur MLA and a close associate of the Chief Minister, described as "an act of indiscipline" certain observations of Mr. Hanumantha Rao and Mr. P. Janardhan Reddy earlier. Mr. Rao, who was not in the auditorium at that time, rushed to the stage to lodge a strong protest with Mr. Digvijay Singh. Mr. Singh pulled up Mr. Vasanth Kumar twice for "raking up unnecessary issues" before asking his deputy, Iqbal Singh, to pacify the MP.

Indiscipline

Mr. Janardhan Reddy embarrassed the Chief Minister by asking "what is indiscipline? Did I throw footwear on Chief Ministers in the past or set the party office on fire when denied ticket? I am raising issues like Pothireddypadu head regulator because I am not convinced with the Government's argument. Prove me wrong and I will offer myself for any punishment," he remarked.

Mr. Shashidhar Reddy said "instead of heaping praise on anyone, it would have been better had there been a meaningful debate."

The discussion on land reforms was confined to hailing the Dr. Reddy's move to donate his family lands back to the Government for distribution among the landless poor.

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