HYDERABAD: Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has had the first taste of the problems that the merger of PRP with the Congress is throwing up.For the last two days, leaders of the Congress from Kadapa district have made a beeline for the chief minister and told him that they will not accept induction of PRP MLC C Ramachandraiah into the cabinet. According to sources, the Congress leaders in the district are worried about an outsider becoming a minister and riding roughshod over them.Kamalapuram MLA Veerasiva Reddy has made it clear to the chief minister that if he wants to induct an MLC into the cabinet, he may opt for Chengal Rayudu since he belongs to the same Balija community that Ramachandraiah belongs to.The Congress leaders have, however, pitched for YS Vivekandanda Reddy since, unlike in other districts, their job is tough: they have to confront the mighty YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and unless Vivekananda Reddy is not taken in to the cabinet, this job becomes difficult and the party might lose out to the the YSR’s scion in the long run.Of the 10 MLAs from the district, four are with the Congress. Two of them are ministers DL Ravindra Reddy and Ahmadulla. While five MLAs are supporting Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Proddatur MLA belongs to the Telugu Desam.With every leader from the district opposing Ramachandraiah’s possible induction into the ministry, Kiran Kumar Reddy was curt with them and wanted to know why they were repeatedly making the same demand at a time when cabinet expansion was not on the cards. The Congress leaders told him that Ramachandraiah was going to town telling every one that he would not only be taken into the cabinet but would be given the key finance portfolio. The Kadapa leaders wanted the chief minister to convey to the party high command their opposition to Ramachandraiah.Veera Siva Reddy, in a subtle way, projected himself as the most suitable candidate to be taken into the cabinet by urging the chief minister to consider those elected directly by the people for a ministerial berth. Since two of the four Congress MLAs are already ministers and Badvel MLA Kamalamma stood a remote chance, Veera Siva Reddy is entertaining hopes that he would be considered favourably for berth in the ministry.
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