Chiru better off in state, feels Congress leaders

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Congress president Sonia Gandhi has made it clear to the party's state leadership that selecting Mr Chiranjeevi for the Rajya Sabha was part of the commitment she had made to him when his Praja Rajyam merged with the Congress last year. According to party sources, when the issue of selection of Congress candidates came up for discussion, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy reportedly suggested to her that instead of sending Mr Chiranjeevi to the Rajya Sabha, it would be in the interests of the party to confine him to state politics and make him Deputy Chief Minister.

Mr Reddy also reportedly told Ms Gandhi that it would be difficult for the party to win the Tirupati seat in the bypoll, which will have to be held due to Mr Chiranjeevi's elevation to the Rajya Sabha. At this stage, sources said, the Congress president chided the Chief Minister, saying "are you sure of winning the remaining 17 Assembly seats in the bypolls that are to come? You put all efforts to win, let us see the results."

State Congress leaders agree with the Chief Minister that Mr Chiranjeevi will be more useful to the party if he continues in State politics rather than moves to Delhi. They also agree with the CM’s views on the Tirupathi bypoll, as some surveys project a huge win for the YSR Congress candidate Bhumana Karunakar Reddy. When the attention of Mr Chiranjeevi was drawn to this during a media conference held today after filing of nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha, he said, "I don't have an individual opinion on this. Whatever Mrs Gandhi decides, I will follow. My political future is in her hands. Why do you think it is the end of the story? I may be asked to contest again for the Assembly in the 2014 elections."

Given that some sections of the party have already left and joined the YSR Congress, Mr Chiranjeevi, who represents the Kapu, Balija sections, would be more useful to the party if he concentrates on state politics instead of moving to Delhi. The Congress party gets no advantage from sending Mr Chiranjeevi to Delhi, while there is much he can do to help in the crisis the Congress faces from both the Telugu Desam and the YSR Congress, a senior minister observed.

Legislators of the erstwhile PR too share this view. "There is a great difference if our leader is available here (in the state) than in Delhi," two former PR legislators said.