Decks cleared to make DS as PCC chief?

All is set to change of the guard for the Congress party in the state as the party high command is seriously contemplating on the serious issue of Telangana.

Dharmapuri Srinivas, popularly known as DS is in close contact with AICC president Sonia Gandhi for quite some time. He reportedly called on Sonia seven times in a span of 15 days in New Delhi. Botsa Satyanarayana, who has been summoned to Delhi by the party high command on Wednesday, met Digvijay Singh, Congress general secretary (in charge of AP affairs) and held discussions. According to sources from Delhi, the Congress high command is likely to announce DS as new PCC chief replacing Botsa. An announcement is expected in a day or two on the DS’ elevation. 

Sonia Gandhi is forced to take a decision to ensure a smooth transition of division of the State. Speculations are doing rounds in the Congress circles that Telangana state is formed with two Rayalaseema districts – Anantapur and Kurnool – as Rayala Telangana. The division will be equal as far as Parliament seats are concerned as there will be total 21 LS seats in each part. 

Keeping in view of State division, Sonia Gandhi meticulously gave more berths for coastal districts in the union cabinet in the recent expansion just to appease the Andhra leaders. 

Out of 12 ministers representing the State in the Union Cabinet, coastal Andhra has eight ministers and one from Rayalaseema. With the recent expansion, two MPs from Coastal Andhra – Kavuri Sambasiva Rao (Eluru) and J D Seelam (Guntur) have been given the chance. It is an indication for appeasing the Coastal leaders, observes a Congress leader from Telangana. Appointing Digivijay Singh as in charge of AP affairs is also a part of the strategy of Sonia to make a move towards Telangana statehood. It is felt that the party high command too tried the second option with a special package for Telangana giving a feeler to know the pulse of the T people. As it was condemned widely even from within the Congress party, the idea has been dropped. 

Sonia Gandhi is understood to have obtained information through many sources like Governor ESL Narasimhan, Madhusudan Mistry, an emissary of AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi and others. Mistry, who was in Hyderabad during the ‘Chalo Assembly’ is learnt to have given a report in favour of Telangana. He reported to Sonia and Rahul that there is a strong Telangana sentiment. 

TRS seems to be not against the proposal of joining two Rayalaseema districts with 10 Telangana districts. However, the BJP leaders raised a strong objection over it, while MIM also favoured the inclusion.  Coastal leaders like Lagadapati Rajagopal, MP from Vijayawada, who had threatened to resign if the Telangana state was declared, may be consulted by Digivijay Singh, who was coming to Hyderabad on June 28. Political analysts observe that DS appointment will be a big tip to understand the moves of Sonia Gandhi over Telangana issue.

-aks@sakshipost