Hyderabad, September 12: In-charge of State Congress affairs and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad avoided any discussion on the issue of separate Telangana during his visit to the State capital here on Sunday.
Among those who received Azad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad included PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, former PCC president D Srinivas, Labour Minister Danam Nagender and former minister Mohammad Ali Shabbir. Later, Azad had an in-camera discussion with the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC President Botsa Satyanarayana.
According to party sources, Azad was reportedly briefed about the prevailing political scenario in the State. Talks were mainly focussed on the strategy to deal with the resignation of 26 party MLAs who switched loyalties to Jagan camp. The cabinet reshuffle was also on the agenda, but Azad reportedly asked Botsa and Kiran Kumar Reddy to visit Delhi for detailed discussion on the issue. However, Azad was apprised of Chiranjeevi’s wish list which included four berths for his men in the State Cabinet.
Ghulam Nabi Azad has reportedly avoided any discussion on the separate Telangana issue on the pretext that he would be meeting Seemandhra leaders on Monday. However, the Chief Minister briefed him about the arrangements being made to deal with the general strike starting call given by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee from September 13. The leaders also briefly discussed the on-going CBI cases against Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy and their possible impact on the State politics.
After attending an official programme at NAC auditorium on the golden jubilee of Bhoodan movement, Ghulam Nabi Azad along with the Chief Minister visited the Apollo Hospital, where Azharuddin’s son Ayazuddin has been admitted following a road accident. Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha and other leaders have later sent off Ghulam Nabi Azad at the airport.
——Agencies