Congress meeting today to decide CM

The Telangana Congress Legislature Party will meet on Monday to elect its leader, even as the party staked its claim to form the next government by meeting Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday evening.

Pradesh Congress Committee chief A. Revanth Reddy, Telangana incharge Manikrao Thakre, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and former PCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy were among the Congress leaders to meet the Governor.

"We will hold the CLP meeting at 9.30 am on Monday and follow the due procedure prescribed in the Congress and get back to you," Shivakumar told mediapersons outside Raj Bhavan.

He refused to take further questions on who the Chief Minister would be, although Uttam Kumar Reddy confirmed that no decision was taken on the top post.

Revanth Reddy is the frontrunner for the top post, with party sources saying he had the blessings of the party’s central leadership, given the TPCC’s rejuvenation under Revanth Reddy’s leadership and his smooth conduct of the Congress Working Committee meeting, which culminated with a massive public meeting where Sonia Gandhi launched the Six Guarantees.

The overwhelming response from people in the public meetings attended by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra with Revanth Reddy during the campaign also



helped the latter consolidate his position, sources said.

Even his detractors admitted that he was the most popular leader having grassroots connections with the electorate since the time of Dr Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy.

Sources said CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka also enjoyed a good rapport with the central leadership and had scored brownie points with his padayatra. He also succeeded in changing a few candidates by directly approaching the central leadership.

Leaders opposing Revanth Reddy’s elevation might rally around Bhatti, who might be offered the Deputy Chief Minister post, if Revanth Reddy was chosen as CM, sources said.

Before the Congress met the Governor, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao tendered his resignation through a letter sent with a staffer. According to the police, Rao left Pragathi Bhavan in a private vehicle and proceeded to his Erravelli farmhouse.

The Governor immediately accepted his resignation and the proposed Cabinet meeting for Monday was cancelled, with the House deemed dissolved.

Meanwhile, speaking in Khammam, Dr Tellam Venkata Rao, BRS Bhadrachalam MLA-elect, said he would join the Congress on December 8 for the development of his constituency.