New Delhi, September 09: Congress president Sonia Gandhi assured the Y S Jaganmohan Reddy camp that she will consult all concerned including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before a decision is taken to thrash out the leadership issue in Andhra Pradesh which now has an interim Chief Minister.
K V P Ramachandra Rao, Adviser to the late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and the man believed to be behind the open campaign for making his son Jaganmohan as Chief Minister, said Sonia has promised to look into the leadership issue.
After an hour long meeting with Gandhi, Rao told reporters that Sonia told him that she will consult the Prime Minister, the AICC in-charge of AP and other Congress leaders before any decision is taken. Sonia’s political secretary Ahmed Patel was also present.
Before meeting the Congress chief, Rao, who was called to Delhi by the party high command for discussions, said “Everything is left to the high command. Whatever madam Sonia Gandhi decides.” K Rosiah is currently the state’s interim Chief Minister.
Rao is believed to have piped down and put the open campaign on hold following high command’s whip.
The Adviser to the late chief minister, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, has met MP supporters of YSR who are also backing Jagan for the Chief Ministership.
‘Law Minister M Veerappa Moily, who is also AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, said the party leadership will resolve the issue of successor to Rajasekhara Reddy soon after the mourning period is over. “No sooner the mourning period is over, we will resolve this problem.” The mourning period ends on Thursday.
A Congress MP S Hari also met Sonia and complained that a “conspiracy” had been allegedly hatched by some party MLAs and MPs to ensure that Jagan Mohan Reddy does not become the Chief Minister. Hari is a supporter of the late Chief Minister.
-Agencies