Senior Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana air-dashed to Delhi on Monday following urgent summons from the Congress high command.
Soon after landing in the national capital, he met the party president Sonia Gandhi, triggering speculation that he might be considered for some big responsibility in the state.
He had a one-on-one meeting with Sonia which in itself was a major development since it comes in the midst of rapid pace of political developments in the state.
It is said that Kanna, an influential Kapu leader from Guntur district, could be asked to take over the state unit, replacing the incumbent PCC Chief Botsa Satyanarayana.
There have been reports in the media for a long time that the party is keen on replacing Botsa with a new face who can galvanize the party, particularly in Seemandhra region where the Congress is at the receiving end of the public anger over bifurcation of the state.
It is not known what transpired at the Kanna's meeting with the party chief but speculation about his elevation has suddenly gained momentum.
Significantly, Kanna has been maintaining a low profile ever since the Congress Working Committee (CWC) announced its decision on Telangana formation on July 30.
He is a staunch loyalist of Sonia Gandhi and has never made any public statement opposing the party's decision to divide the state.
In Guntur politics, Kanna has a running feud with the veteran Congress leader and Guntur MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao and his family.
In fact, Kanna's names had cropped up in the past as one of the contenders for the Chief Minister's post, particularly in the wake of Kiran Kumar Reddy's open defiance against the bifurcation.
Kanna enjoys the goodwill of a majority of the Seemandhra legislators. Moreover, he is loyal to the core to the high command.
