K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, adviser to the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday.
Mr. Rao, regarded as the architect of the ‘Jagan for CM’ campaign, told journalists that “our president” would decide on Rajasekhara Reddy’s successor in consultation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other senior leaders.
The leadership had asked the supporters of Rajasekhara Reddy’s son, Jagan Mohan Reddy, and their opponents to avoid raking up the chief ministership issue during the mourning period for the former chief minister, who was killed in a helicopter accident.
Mr. Rao, a Rajya Sabha member, was closeted with Ms. Gandhi for more than an hour and left 10 Janpath without meeting the journalists. He returned within minutes to give a brief account of what transpired at the meeting.
Mr. Rao said the Congress president asked him about the political situation following the death of Rajasekhara Reddy. She also enquired about the former Chief Minister’s family and how they were coping with the tragedy.
Mr. Rao, who is understood to have submitted to Ms. Gandhi a note on the state of affairs, did not field any question and avoided the media thereafter. While Mr. Rao was in Ms. Gandhi’s residence, Sabbam Hari, Lok Sabha member from Anakapalle, drove in.
Mr. Rao also met Ms. Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, Congress core committee member A.K. Antony and party general secretary in charge of the State, M. Veerappa Moily. Sources close to Union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said he was not in the race for chief ministership.
