Panchayat Raj Minister K. Jana Reddy emphatically said here on Thursday that there was no question of leaving the Congress as he was confident that statehood for Telangana could be achieved by remaining in the ruling party.
Philosophical about the two Congress MPs -- G. Vivekanandand and Manda Jagannadham -- and former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president K. Keshava Rao crossing over to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi over the delay in granting Telangana, Mr. Jana Reddy said they would continue to have a dialogue with the party high command about the latest situation arising out of the MPs’ exit from the party. “It’s time for the party high command to have serious deliberations on the issue,” he said.
Busy clearing files in his chambers at the Secretariat and apparently unfazed over the desertion of his close associates, the Minister declined to predict how these developments would impact the party in the elections. “I will continue to do my duty as I am confident that the Congress high command will concede the demand for Telangana before the 2014 elections,” he said.
Dismissing reports that he was vying for the Home Minister portfolio, he said, “ I don’s see much significance in the Chief Minister’s post itself. ” He said he had never aspired for any post in the first place. Moreover, under the present circumstances, holding any post was a delicate proposition.
The Panchayat Raj Minister said that in another three days, the BC reservation list would come and in a week SC, ST, BC reservations would be forwarded to the State Election Commission.
They expect to hold panchayat elections in July first week, he added.
