CM pushes for new faces

Hyderabad Jan. 3: The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy’s camp is using the local bodies’ byelection results to push its pet idea that “discredited” MLAs should be replaced with new faces in the coming Assembly polls to regain power. However, some other leaders are using this opportunity to suggest that the party leadership should go for an adjustment with the Telangana Rastra Samiti to score over political rivals. The byelection results have further stressed the need to change candidates in 80 Assembly segments if not more, felt the Chief Minister’s camp. “Yesterday’s results have not upset our plans; indeed it reflected the need to go for an overhaul,” said an aide of the Chief Minister. He added that the general image of the government and Dr Reddy were good, but some MLAs had neglected their constituencies and local party workers. For instance, in West Godavari district, the party victory in both Peravali and Achanta were because of a shift in votes of women and backward classes in favour of the Congress. “This is a good sign,” said the aide. He pointed out that the same trend ought to have been there in Denduluru bypoll but for the callous attitude of the minister, Mr Maganti Babu, who resigned after the defeat. “We won’t spare anyone even if they are senior leaders,” said the aide. “Somehow we have to come to power again.” At the same time, the Chief Minister’s camp responded coldly to the suggestion for a tie up with the TRS. The senior Congress Rajya Sabha MP, Mr V. Hanumantha Rao, told mediapersons that there was a feeling among party leaders from Telangana that the Congress should join hands with the TRS and other likeminded parties. Meanwhile the PCC chief, Mr D. Srinivas, welcomed the resignations of the two ministers owning moral responsibility for losing seats in their constituencies and added that the party would analyse the results and take precautions. Ministers ignorant on sacking

Hyderabad Jan. 3: Many ministers did not know of the resignation of two of their colleagues — Mr M. Venkateswara Rao and Mr M. Mareppa — till late in the night on Friday. “I came to know about it through the TV. I don’t know what transpired,” said Mr K. Rosaiah, finance minister. “But he (CM) has every right to sack or include anyone in the Cabinet.” He felt the results were fantastic and Dr Reddy had proved himself to be the most popular leader. “The results indicated that the Congress is gaining further. We won more seats than in 2006,” said Mr Rosaiah. “Instead of celebrating, Dr Reddy provided the Opposition and adverse media the opportunity they were waiting for,” said a senior minister. Mr Rao alias Babu said on Saturday that he was asked to resign by the Chief Minister though there was no need for such an action for the local body election. “I had informed the state leadership about the non-cooperation of some leaders in my (Denduluru) constituency a month ago. But there was no action,” Mr Rao said. He had complained that local Congress legislator Mr Vatti Vasanth Kumar, was hand in glove with local TD leaders. The Governor, Mr N.D. Tiwari, accepted the resignations submitted by Mr Venkateswara Rao and Mr Mareppa. Mareppa was on drop list Hyderabad Jan. 3: The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, gave the Opposition a handle to beat the Congress by securing the resignations of Mr M. Venkateswara Rao and Mr M. Mareppa for the defeats at Denduluru and Alur in the local body byelections, ministers said. Party leaders said the Congress had indeed improved its strength in the bypolls. The Congress and the TD shared three ZPTC seats and one went to the Praja Rajyam. In the MPTC bypolls, the Congress tally went up from 22 to 32 and the TD fell from 24 to 10. In Telangana, the Congress rose from three to 10 while the TD slid from 10 to 4. But there were also wheels within wheels. Sources said Dr Reddy wanted drop Mr Mareppa. Sources said that the decision to ask Mr Rao to quit was to maintain the caste combination in the cabinet as the removal of Mr Mareppa alone would invite criticism from the Scheduled Castes. CM surveys bogus: Babu Hyderabad Jan. 3: The Telugu Desam’s victory in the three out of seven local bodies byelections enthused the party president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, so much that he declared that the Congress would be wiped out in the general elections. Mr Naidu said that the Congress-sponsored surveys, which had predicted massive wins for the ruling party, were “bogus.” “Dr Reddy spoke of surveys which gave a resounding victory for the party in the next polls. He claimed that the Congress will get 236 Assembly seats, 36 Lok Sabha seats and 51 per cent vote. The results have shown where he stands,” Mr Naidu remarked. Dr Reddy had sent home two ministers, Mr M. Venkateswara Rao and Mr M. Mareppa, for the loss but, Mr Naidu said, the people would send Dr Reddy home in three months. Mr Naidu said there was an undercurrent of anger among the people and the ruling party would be thrown out in the forthcoming polls. Mr Naidu was flooded with greetings over the victory of the party nominees in the ZPTC byelections. A senior party leader admitted that the victory in three ZPTC byelections cannot be an indicator for the 2009 poll. “The results are a morale booster for the TD and its allies, but it does not mean that the TD will win hands down,” he said, pointing out that the ZP elections are fought on local issues. A TRS leader said the Chief Minister had overreacted by securing the resignation of two ministers.