Kapus set to emerge a strong force
Hyderabad: The local Congress leaders have a reason to cheer with the induction of Ganta Srinivasa Rao into the ministry.
He will be the first minister in three decades to get included in the ministry. Alwar Das was the minister in Anjaiah Cabinet from 1978 to 1983 before the power was handed over to the Telugu Desam on a platter in 1983.
Torn between the YSR Congress leaders led by Anakapalle Lok Sabha member Sabbam Hari and weak ministers from the agency ' P Balaraju and Y Kishore Chandra Deo ' the Congress workers and second rung leaders had none to lean on for political growth.
'We were absolutely directionless after the demise of YS Rajasekhara Reddy and Konathala Ramakrishna lost the elections to Ganta Srinivasa Rao,' said U Appa Rao, a senior party worker.
Ganta Srinivasa Rao will have an immense task on his hand after swearing in as minister. He has to unite the party workers and ward level leaders who have been swinging from the Congress to YSR Congress.
Party sources said it was the intention of Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy to have Ganta Srinivasa Rao in the cabinet to neutralise Botsa Satyanarayana who has become a thorn in his flesh.
General secretary of the City Congress Committee K Charan Kumar said Ganta would be a great asset to the party as he will strengthen Congress in the city and rural areas.
A senior TDP leader says Ganta could successfully overshadow another leader and former minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu, who was instrumental in initiating his political career.
As far as C Ramachandraiah is concerned a majority of Congress leaders from the district are strongly opposed ministership to him.
As recent as last week, senior leaders in the party like Health Minister DL Ravindra Reddy, Minorities Welfare Minister Ahmadullah, Kamalapuram MLA G Veerasiva Reddy and MLC Chengalrayudu rushed to New Delhi to prevail upon the party high-command not to agree to inclusion of Ramachandraiah in the ministry.
Their contention: When a very senior leader like D Srinivas could not be made a minister due to his Kapu caste, how the party choose Ramachandraiah, a Kapu and also a new entrant.
They are not able to digest the fact that he has got precedence over many Congress leaders from the district.
However, the Kadapa leaders were reportedly told in no uncertain words about the high-command's decision to concede the demand of Chiranjeevi to allot ministerships to Ganta Srinivasa Rao from Anakapalli and C Ramachandraiah from Kadapa.
They could not even get audience with party's AP in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad and returned disappointed. They, however, maintained that they had been to Delhi 'on personal work.'
Thus, Ramachandraiah is faced with the prospects of strong dissidence from his district and they may queer the pitch for him at every opportune moment.
However, in case Ramachandraiah is denied cabinet berth, the Congress will have to contend with opposition from the PRP cadres and the Kapu community, which would have adverse impact during the polls.
News Posted: 19 January, 2012
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