The division in the Andhra Pradesh Congress unit over the Telangana statehood demand on regional lines has been further accentuated by the appointment of Botsa Satyanarayana as Pradesh Congress Committee chief.
Congress leaders from Telangana are deeply disappointed with the Central leadership over the issue as they feel that the cardinal rule for the appointment of PCC chief and the chief minister has been violated. An MP, on condition of anonymity, said that it is gentleman’s agreement that a region which has its man as the chief minister cannot have the PCC leader’s post.
The MP said the timing of the appointment is a matter of concern. When the Telangana issue is boiling in the region, the high command has cleared the appointment, which amounts too rubbing salt on the wound: “On the one hand, they are not granting Telangana and on the other, they are ill-treating us by having somebody else outside our region to head the party.”