Armed, young team gets ready to fight

For their critics, the sight of a sword in the hands of new Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana and a mace in the hands of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at the Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday, is a sign things to come.

Though both Mr Satyanarayana and Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, in their respective speeches at the function to mark the former’s taking charge of the PCC, said that they do not have any differences between them, their detractors are sure to point out that the photograph is a precursor of a bitter turf war at the highest echelons of the state Congress.

The sword and mace were presented by Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav.

As one observer pointed out, the Chief Minister, who used cricketing terms through his speech, and described the state Congress leadership as a ‘young team ready to take on the opposition,’ must have been disappointed at Mr Satyanarayana choice of trousers.

Mr Satyanarayana was seen wearing Khaki trousers, a glaring departure from the all-white dresses which adorn almost all the Congress leaders and is associated with the Cricket Teams participating in a Test match.

But then again, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy’s words gave the impression that he was looking to hit sixes as in a Twenty20 game or a one-day international match. Cricket players wear colourful clothes in these competitions.

The one person who was conspicuous by his absence was Rajya Sabha Member V Hanumantha Rao while the presence of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s close aide Suryudu at the function left many surprised.