Nedurumalli rushes to Delhi

Hyderabad, Sept 16:

 Under summons from the Congress High Command, former chief minister Nedurumalli Janardhana Reddy has left for New Delhi on Wednesday evening amid heightened speculation of change of guard in Andhra Pradesh.The suddden Delhi trip of the former chief minister has raised doubts among the circles close to Mr Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, the son of late chief minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. (Jaganmohan Reddy, popularly known as Jagan is the front-runner for the coveted post).

Sections close to Mr Jagan strongly feel that the chances of their leader now getting the post are becoming bleak with the summoning of Mr Janardhana Reddy to Delhi. Reddy was at his home town Nellore when the call from party headquarters reached him. The development immediately put the party leaders in Hyderabad into an alert mode.

However, political pundits here strongly speculate that Mr Janardhana Reddy has been called by the High Command only to elicit his opinion on the succesor to the deceased leader. "He will only brief senior leaders of the developments taking place in the state after Dr K V P Ramachandra Rao, close aide of YSR returned from the Capital and held confabulations with party big-wigs and Ministers back home in Hyderabad," the sources felt.Mr N Janardhana Reddy, who enjoys a considerable clout with the Congress circles here, was ignobly sidelined by Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy during his five-and-odd years' tenure in the state. The amount of grouse Dr Reddy nurtured against Mr Janardhana Reddy can be gauged from the fact that the latter was even denied party ticket in the last general election and was pushed to the Rajya Sabha in order to weaken his strength in the state.

All through, Mr N Janardhaa Reddy has been lying low and his name again shot into limelight with the Congress Central leadership inviting him to the national capital. The groups owing allegiance to Mr Jaganmohan Reddy and also those who are opposed to him are now sitting with their fingers crossed as to what will be the final decision of the high command.