Kiran Reddy meets Sonia, PM (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI - New Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy met Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss the political situation in the state. He also called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Reddy consulted Gandhi on the final list of members to be included in the cabinet Sunday, a day before the state assembly begins its session, according to Congress sources.

The chief minister was with Gandhi for 30 minutes at her 10 Janpath residence.

The trouble in the state party unit, in the wake of groupism blamed on Kadapa Lok Sabha member Jaganmohan Reddy, came up for discussion, said the sources. Jaganmohan is the son of the late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash last year.

The Jagan-owned Sakshi TV has of late aired criticism of the Congress leadership including Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh although Reddy remains a Congress member.

The chief minister met Manmohan Singh at his 7 Race Course Road residence for 20 minutes, an official in the Prime Minister’s Office told IANS.

“It was a courtesy call by Reddy after assuming the new office. Of course, developmental matters would have been discussed,” the official said.

When he meets Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily, who is the Congress leader in charge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, Reddy will give final touches to the ministerial list, Congress sources told IANS.

Reddy was sworn in the chief minister Thursday, after K. Rosaiah resigned Wednesday citing health reasons.