The Congress in Andhra Pradesh is set to see a new face as its chief. AICC president Rahul Gandhi had decided to replace N Raghuveera Reddy with Nadendla Manohar ahead of the elections. Surprisingly, Manohar is not the choice of Rahul Gandhi, but of Chandrababu Naidu.
Sources in the Congress say that Chandrababu Naidu had reportedly offered to help the Congress in the next elections. He had also convinced the AICC leadership that the Congress in the State can survive only if Jaganmohan Reddy is defeated. While promising to help the Congress win a couple of seats in the next elections, Chandrababu Naidu had reportedly asked the AICC chief to appoint Nadendla Manohar as the new APCC chief.
Interestingly, Chandrababu Naidu enjoys comfortable relationship with Manohar. When Nadendla Manohar was made Speaker of the Assembly, Chandrababu Naidu welcomed it in the past. But, the same Chandrababu Naidu opposed Kirankumar Reddy in the next term as Speaker. Even in the recent elections in Karnataka, Chandrababu Naidu had helped the Congress through Nadendla Manohar and N Tulasi Reddy. He operated the election campaign against the BJP and in favour of the Congress in Karnataka only through these two leaders. It is this bondage that Chandrababu Naidu wants from the Congress when he goes for the next elections.
Several of the Congress senior leaders from the State, including APCC president Raghuveera Reddy are favouring alliance with the CPI, CPM and Jana Sena, while Rahul Gandhi is in favour of having understanding with Chandrababu Naidu. “Chandrababu Naidu is better option than Pawan Kalyan and the TDP chief can help Congress in the national level too if required,” is what Rahul Gandhi had reportedly told the Congress leaders from the State.
In this given situation, it is said that Rahul Gandhi is preparing ground to announce Nadendla Manohar as APCC president or working president. Manohar’s presence, according to the Congress leaders, is set to help the relationship with Chandrababu Naidu and win a few Assembly seats.
