Congress to head govt in two States

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi at the Congress Working Committee meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.

With Telangana set to become the 29 State in the country, the race for the top post has already begun as the Congress wants to make history by forming its government in the new State as well as in Seemandhra.

The focus now shifts to the successors of N. Kiran Kumar Reddy who will bow out quietly as the last Chief Minister of the united State.

Intense competition

In Telangana, there is likely to be intense competition between Deputy Chief Minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha, Panchayat Raj Minister K. Jana Reddy and former PCC chief D.Srinivas.

The names of Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy and NDMA vice-chairman M. Sashidhar Reddy are also doing the rounds.

Kapu-BC lobby

Seemandhra could see the emergence of the Kapu-BC lobby to keep the Reddys at bay in the run-up to the Chief Minister’s post.

PCC chief Botcha, Union Minister K. Chiranjeevi and several other Kapu leaders could emerge as claimants for the top slot.

Caste equation

The Congress leadership appears to have done its political homework on the issue and is keen on put in place Chief Ministers at the earliest, considering that general elections are less than eight months away.

Mr. Satyanarayana was asked to submit region-wise party position with caste composition. The high command would like to have a Chief Minister from the Reddy community in Telangana and one from the Kapu-BC-Dalit combination in other State, as there was apprehension that the Reddy community, with dominant presence in the House, may sail with the YSR Congress.

The Telangana Assembly will have 119 seats and Seemandhra 175, including 52 seats in Rayalaseema. A political party enjoying simple majority of 60 members can form government in Telangana while it will be 88 in Seemandhra.

Easy task for Congress

As of now, the Congress has an easy task in Seemandhra where it has 97 members followed by TDP (45) and YSR Congress (17). With 49 members in Telangana, it still needs the support of at least 11 MLAs to gain a simple majority of 60. It could seek support of the seven-member MIM and three independents.