Cabinet expansion not on regional-lines: Botsa

Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana claimed that Thursday's expansion of Kiran Kumar Reddy's cabinet was not based on regional-lines.

Talking to reporters at Gandhi Bhavan, Botsa said that the cabinet expansion was confined to induction of two legislators belonging to Praja Rajyam Party which has merged with the Congress party. He said their induction into the council of minister was done to honour the agreement that the Congress party had with the erstwhile PRP. Therefore, their inclusion should be considered as the induction of two more ministers from the Seemandhra region.

The PCC chief also denied reports that Congress leaders from the Telangana region were unhappy over the cabinet expansion. He said that the Congress High Command would soon fill the vacant posts in the State Cabinet and no injustice would be done with any region.

Botsa also accused some media organisation of trying to create differences between him and the Chief Minister. Citing some reports, he said the recent expansion was being projected as his victory and Kiran Kumar Reddy's loss. He said that the decision to induct two PRP legislators was taken by the Congress high command and everyone has to abide by its decision.

The PCC president refused to comment on sacking of Dr P Shankar Rao from the State cabinet.