New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N
Kiran Kumar Reddy on Friday indicated that legislators of actor
Chiranjeevi's PRP would be inducted into the Cabinet after the
party is recognised as part of the Congress in the state
Assembly.
However, he refused a direct answer to questions on when
he would go for a cabinet expansion, saying it will be carried
out as and when the need arises.
"Praja Rajyam (PRP) is still recongised as a separate
party in Assembly, though they have merged with Congress. The
formalities will take time. We have to wait till the party
legislators are recognised as part of Congress," he told a
press conference here.
Reddy was responding to a question on when legislators of
the PRP, which actually saved the Government during the no-
confidence motion moved by TDP in Assembly earlier this month,
would be inducted into Cabinet.
Praja Rajyam Party, which has merged with Congress, has 18
MLAs and is still recognised as a separate party in the
294-member state Assembly.
His comments came after a meeting with Congress President
Sonia Gandhi, her political secretary Ahmed Patel and General
Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad.
During the meeting, strategy to be adopted by Congress
during the by-elections to seven assembly seats and other
issues of political significance are understood to have been
discussed.
On TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's threat that the
separate statehood agitation would be intensified in January
and he was ready to take up a fast-unto-death again, Reddy
said: "We are not frigthened of threats nor do we take
congnisance of them. We will do our duty."
On the Telangana statehood issue, Reddy said the Centre
and the High Command are seized of the matter and they would
take a decision.
The speculation about a cabinet expansion gained momentum
after his government won a no-confidence motion moved by
Opposition Telugu Desam Party earlier this month.
With Congress deciding to seek disqualification of 16
MLAs who voted against the government, the number of
constituencies that will go to by-polls will increase if the
Assembly Speaker disqualifies the legislators.
Reddy parried a question on reports that he was not in
favour of a cabinet expansion before the by-elections.
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 30, 2011, 21:02