Would CM be taken off guard?

Ravi’s three-day visit has raised eyebrows in political circles particularly since it comes at a time when Kiran Reddy himself is in New Delhi on a three-day visit. Political analysts are also curious as to why the High Command sent Ravi when AICC secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad is in-charge of the party affairs in Andhra Pradesh.

The party grapevine has it that the reason behind this sudden decision was that the party leadership wanted an independent view on various issues including the rift between Kiran Reddy and State Congress unit chief Botsa Satyanarayana, the separate Telangana statehood demand and the emergence of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy as a political force to reckon with, particularly after the drubbing suffered by the ruling party in the recent by-elections. The High Command is concerned about its prospects in the impending by-elections to 18 Assembly seats which was necessitated by the disqualification of lawmakers loyal to Jagan.

The Congress emissary has lost no time in going about his mission, meeting dozens of party lawmakers and senior leaders in the past couple of days. Party leaders apparently heaped complaints on Ravi over the lack of coordination between the government and party and the deteriorating image of the party due to various scams.

Though there is talk that a change of guard could be on the cards following the Congress emissary’s visit, Ravi himself has maintained that his mission was not to elicit views on whether Kiran Reddy or Satyanarayana should be replaced. For the record, he has stated that the party High Command’s decision to send him to Hyderabad was only because Azad was busy with other work.

Several leaders who met Ravi have told him that on the twin issues of Telangana and Jagan, the party would have to make its stand clear. Ravi has a tough task ahead in assessing the situation and advising the High Command on its future course of action in the state. The Congress emissary has asked the state leaders to air their opinions freely on any issue, but will he get a clear and correct picture that he seeking? That remains the million dollar question.