In a significant development, the Congress high command has sent Union minister Vayalar Ravi to Hyderabad to hold talks with leaders and stem the rot plaguing the party. This has come as a surprise to party leaders, since Gulam Nabi Azad is in charge of AP affairs. In another development, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy called on AICC president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.
Sources said that the CM briefed her about the strategy to be adopted for the bypolls, the current political situation and other burning issues in AP. Fears about the outcome of the bypolls, open squabbles among the party leaders, criticism of the CM by health minister D.L. Ravindra Reddy and others, the Telangana agitation and its effect on the administration are some of the issues that have led the Congress high comm-and to take a serious note.
“I will assess the situation in the wake of the byelections and other issues and report back to the party chief,” Mr Ravi said. He plans to hold talks with all sections of party leaders in the run-up to the bypolls and also to qu-ell differences among the party leaders and the CM. The party high command reportedly wants a “second opinion” on party affairs in the state thro-ugh Mr Ravi, an MP said.
Mr Ravi’s arrival in Hyderabad gains added significance in light of Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan’s recent Delhi visit. “Something is brewing. The high command seems to have taken the problems facing the party rather seriously and is in a damage control mode. Maybe some drastic action will be taken soon,” the MP said.