CM meets MLAs; former ministers exude optimism

Even as reports of anti-Congress protests continued to pour in, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy held an emergency meeting with MLAs at Lake View Guest House on Monday.

Speaking to media persons, former health minister and one-time loyalist of late YS Rajasekhara Reddy Danam Nagender said that the meeting was not out of the ordinary. He said, “this is a practice for any Chief Minister to meet the MLAs.

He added that the late YSR never tolerated any incident or statement that was purported to have hurt the sentiments of the party High Command or Congress party.

Stating that the party was supreme and that they reposed faith in Sonia Gandhi's leadership, Mr Nagender and Mr Kanna Laxminarayana, coming out of the meeting, said that they condemned the action of pro-Jagan supporters, who have resorted to undesirable events like burning of the party flag or effigies.

Former minister Shatrucharla Vijayarama Rao, spelt out clearly that he would not leave the Congress.

"The High Command takes a decision very carefully. I met Ms Sonia Gandhi many times and I was not stopped," he said, obviously referring to Mr Jaganmohan Reddy’s charge that he was unable to meet the Congress president. Mr VIjayarama Rao added that whoever left Congress repented.

When asked if he was getting a Ministerial berth, the former minister retorted, “I do not know astrology. If I get it, I take it."

Meanwhile former I and B minister J Geetha Reddy justified the undeclared decision to make YSR’s brother YS Vivekananda Reddy a Minister. She said, “giving a portfolio to YSV is not wrong.”

Frontrunner for retaining her ministerial berth, she hastened to add, “people leaving the party or entering the party was a common feature.”

Meanwhile, the man who at one time was considered close to YSR, APCC president D Srinivas described Mr Jaganmohan Reddy’s resignation as unfortunate.

He also tried to make it clear that that there was nothing to fear or worry about at this juncture. The Congress MLAs at the Lake View Guest House were of the opinion that the swearing in ceremony will go on as scheduled.