During the ongoing elections to Telangana assembly, Telangana Rashtra Samithi leaders have been alleging that Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is controlling the Maha Kootami and the Congress party is taking directions from him on every issue.
Even on Sunday night, top Pradesh Congress Committee leaders including Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy went to Naidu’s residence to take his guidance on how to manage the elections in the last two days.
Even Congress party president Rahul Gandhi and his general secretaries Ghulam Nabi Azad, R C Khuntia, Jayaram Ramesh and others have been in regular touch with Naidu.
It is learnt Naidu would coordinate with his party leaders and direct them to help the Congress leaders in the last minute poll management to counter the TRS strategies.
Sources said if Maha Kootami comes to power, it is Naidu who will dictate the Congress party as to who its chief ministerial candidate should be.
According to these sources, Naidu does not want a Reddy candidate to be anointed as the chief minister, as it would turn a negative factor for him in Andhra Pradesh assembly elections scheduled to be held in another four months.
Instead, he reportedly suggested that a Dalit leader be made a chief minister. Preferably, he wants Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka to be the CM, if Maha Kootami comes to power. If not, the party might consider J Geetha Reddy, who is also a Dalit though she married a Reddy.
“This will fetch a lot of mileage in Andhra Pradesh. At the same time, it will help Naidu keep a control over Telangana chief minister, which will not be possible if a Reddy becomes the CM,” sources said.
