Chiranjeevi, K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao in verbal war

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Congress election committee meeting held at the Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday saw heated arguments between Union minister K. Chiranjeevi and Rajya Sabha member K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao. The meeting was also attended by AICC general secretary and state party affairs in charge Digvijay Singh and several non members too.

Arguments erupted when Mr Chiranjeevi asked legislator K. Kanna Babu, his close associate, into the meeting to which Mr Ramachandra Rao objected.

According to sources, Mr Ramachandra Rao said that everyone who attended should maintain the sanctity of the election committee. Mr Chiranjeevi said that he was not a member of the election committee.

Mr Ramachandra Rao then pointed out that the election committee is a serious one and its deliberations should be confidential and if everyone could attend the meeting then what was the point of having the committee.

The Congress leaders were apparently shocked at Chiranjeevi’s comments.

Mr Chiranjeevi said he was under pressure to quit the Congress for he could do little in the Congress when Seemandhra people were totally upset with the party.

However, Mr Chiranjeevi promised to try and strengthen the Congress in Seemandhra region.

Meanwhile, Mr Digvijay Singh asked the committee to complete its exercise on selection of candidates by March 24 and send it to the high command.

The Seemandhra leaders expressed different opinions on the party position in their region. Some leaders said that even though some leaders had left the party, the cadre is with the Congress.

Some of them felt that at the grassroot level the party is still strong. But others felt it was in a weak position with many leaders ditching the party and the common people angry with it for bifurcating the state.

Mr Digvijay Singh acknowledged that he was aware of the party’s position and asked the party leaders to inform people about the package given by the Centre to the Seemandhra region.

Meanwhile, Ponnala Lakshmaiah and N. Raghuveera Reddy took charge as PCC presidents of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively on Saturday.

Mr Digvijay Singh inaugurated the newly constructed Indira Bhavan within the Gandhi Bhavan premises which is meant to be the APCC Congress office after the state gets divided officially on June two.