CM heads to Delhi amid speculation over future

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will be here tomorrow for confabulations with the Congress high command amidst speculation over his future.    The Congress high command is required to break the impasse on many other critical issues like the resignation of chargesheeted Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao, the urgent need for a rejig of the state Cabinet and, of course, the Telangana statehood demand.

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana will also be in the national capital. Both are likely to meet AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad and Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel.
But first, Kiran Reddy would like to know clearly from the AICC leadership whether or not he would be allowed to rule AP for a longer time, one of his close aides said.
If there is no possibility of his replacement, Kiran Reddy will seek permission from the high command for a reshuffle of the Cabinet as many important slots are vacant for months now.
Also, the high command needs to take a call on the ministers who are under the CBI scanner in relation to the disproportionate assets case against Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and the iron ore illegal mining case involving Gali Janardhan Reddy, the aide noted.
The same yardstick may be applied in the case of Secondary Education Minister K Parthasarathy, who was awarded a two-month jail term by an economic offences court in a FERA violation case, though the sentence has since been kept under suspension.
The Chief Minister hopes the Congress high command would guide him appropriately on the whole issue as the political implications, even within the party, could be heavy.
Time has also come for the Centre to take a call on the Telangana statehood issue.
As the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament will come to a close on September 7, there is anticipation that the Centre will say a firm yes or no and end years of uncertainty.
The Chief Minister will discuss this issue as well with the high command bosses, sources close to him said.

PTI