Kiran to meet Rahul to discuss RS polls
HYDERABAD: Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, along with PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana, is expected to take part in the crucial Congress meeting, which will be presided over by AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Saturday, to discuss the party's strategy in the Rajya Sabha polls slated for Feb 7.
Both Kiran Reddy and Botcha are expected to leave for the national capital either on Friday evening or on Saturday morning. Other chief ministers and PCC chiefs of Congress-ruled states, where Rajya Sabha elections are going to take place, will also participate in the meeting.
Kiran Reddy and Botcha will also meet AICC state affairs incharge Digvijaya Singh. Their meetings with Rahul and Digvijaya assume significance in the wake of the Centre's plans to introduce the T-bill in the ensuing session of Parliament.
Kiran Reddy is meeting his party second-in-command at a time when speculation is rife over a new political party emerging in Seemandhra after the completion of the T-bill debate in the Assembly and all eyes are on his Delhi visit.
'The party leadership does not want to take any chances in Rajya Sabha polls as party rebels such as JC Diwakar Reddy and Congress MLC (Teachers' constituency) KV Satyanarayana Raju (Chaitanya Raju), are planning to be in the fray.
Hence, the party leadership is holding the key meeting with Kiran and Botcha to formulate a strategy in this regard,' said a senior Congress leader.
Apart from discussing the strategy to ensure the victory of party candidates in view of the division among MLAs on regional lines, the AICC leadership is also expected to take a decision on helping TRS win one Rajya Sabha seat.
The AICC leadership has already sent out feelers that it is considering helping the TRS win one seat by transferring its surplus votes.
Of the six seats which are falling vacant, AICC leadership has decided to field candidates for three seats. As each member needs 39 votes to win, Congress with an effective strength of 142 MLAs (though it has 146 on paper) can win three seats comfortably if all of them cooperate.
The TDP is likely to win two seats though it has an effective strength of 74 against the official figure of 79 legislators. If the TRS gets the support of the 25 surplus votes of the Congress, it can win the sixth seat.
News Posted: 24 January, 2014
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