Dharmana’s case keeps CM busy in Delhi

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Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy discussed issues related to the state, including the resignation of minister Dharmana Prasada Rao with Congress Core Committee members and AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The Chief Minister is slated to meet party president Sonia Gandhi on Friday, by which time all pending issues are expected to be cleared. Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy met defence minister A.K. Antony and finance minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday though no decision on Mr Prasada Rao’s resignation could be arrived at. Sources said the Chief Minister would rather wait and watch. He has apparently told the Central leaders that if the CBI arrests Mr Prasada Rao, like in the case of Mopidevi Venkataramana, the resignation could be accepted at that time.

Kiran gives list of chiefs for PSUs
A final decision on Dharmana Prasada Rao’s resignation could be taken after the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy meets Mrs Sonia Gandhi and the Congress president’s political secretary Mr Ahmed Patel. The Chief Minister submitted a list of names for appointment as chairmen to various state-run public sector undertakings. Mr Azad apparently told him to wait for a few days on the matter, including naming new board for the TTD.

Mr Azad also discussed with Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, the list of PCC office bearers and executives, submitted by PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana three months back. Sources said the AICC would finalise the names and announce it in a day or two. Mrs Gandhi met state leaders including Mr Chiranjeevi, RTC chairman M. Satyanarayana Rao, former ministers J.C. Diwakar Reddy and P. Shankar Rao. Mr Diwakar Reddy appears to have suggested to Mrs Gandhi that the state leadership needed clarity as daily speculation regarding their continuance was damaging the party’s interests. He also suggested total reconstitution of the Cabinet to include ministers with a clean image to face the 2014 elections. He said that Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy should be given a free hand to deal with local affairs.

Meanwhile, it was being speculated throughout the day that Mr Satyanarayana would be replaced and a new PCC chief for AP would be named by Friday along with new chiefs for the party units in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal. It was being speculated that owing to the differences with Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, Mr Satyanarayana had tendered his resignation to Mr Azad. The Chief Minister also called on the defence minister, Mr A.K. Antony, while he was in Delhi.