New Delhi: Political situation in the state
and the long-pending expansion of the Cabinet are some of the
issues that are understood to have come up for discussion
during a meeting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah had
with Congress President Sonia Gandhi here today.
Rosaiah, who arrived here on a three-day visit to the
national capital, met Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence and
is understood to have apprised her about the political
situation in the state.
The meeting assumes significance as it is the first
between Rosaiah and Gandhi after party MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy
went ahead with his 'Odarpu' yatra in Prakasham district last
month despite a High Command directive not to do so.
The issue of Jagan and Cabinet expansion are understood
to have come up for discussion, but there was no official
word.
Rosaiah has been toying with the idea of expansion so
that he can bring in some of his supporters to the Cabinet,
which is now considered as being dominated by supporters of
late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
However, talking to media after the meeting, Rosaiah said
he only discussed about the welfare measures being implemented
in the state with Gandhi.
"I did not discuss the issue of Cabinet expansion with
Sonia Gandhi. I did not get a chance to discuss about party
affairs and politics," he said.
"I will definitely inform media before expansion, if
any such thing is there," he said.
Asked whether the local body elections in the state
was postponed due to fissures in the party, he said: "Our
party has much internal democracy and that is why everyone
makes statements."
"There is no link between postponement of local body
elections and present situation in the state. The delay in
conducting the local body elections is due to the issues
related to 50 per cent reservation to women," he said.
Besides Cabinet reshuffle, Rosaiah is also understood to
have discussed the Telangana issue as the Justice Srikrishna
Committee is likely to submit its report on the matter by the
end of this year.
-PTI
First Published: Monday, October 11, 2010, 22:42