CONGRESS’ TELANGANA CM HOPEFULS LOBBY WITH ‘KINGMAKER’ CHANDRABABU

Congress leaders from Telangana, who are in the race for the post of Chief Minister, in case the party comes to power in the 7 December Assembly elections, are queuing up to meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu. After his meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on 1 November, Naidu has emerged as the kingmaker in the “grand alliance”—Maha Kutami—which includes the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Already, Congress Legislature Party leader, K. Jana Reddy, party’s state president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and its Telangana working president, A. Revanth Reddy, who was a TDP MLA until recently, have met Naidu at Andhra Bhavan in New Delhi and sought his sup- port to become the CM after the elections. A dozen others are now waiting to meet him.

Senior Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumanth Rao, former state Congress president Ponnala Laxmaiah, former ministers J. Geeta Reddy, D.K. Aruna and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy are amongst those who sought an appointment with Naidu, according to sources close to him.

In Congress’ Telangana circles, the sure way to ensure a ticket is to seek the help of the Andhra CM as he has direct access to the Congress president and other top leaders. Some Congress leaders who are interested in getting tickets for their family members too are planning to take Naidu’s help. The Congress list will be announced in phases between 9 and 12 November.