In the wake of Chief Minister Chandrababu Babu beginning the exercise on filling up of nominated posts, there is fierce competition between four former MPs for the post of special representative of the state government in New Delhi.
Kambhampati Rammohana Rao, Galla Jayadev, Raghurama Krishna Raju and former union minister of state Sujana Chowdhury are hoping for that position. As this post provides cabinet rank and official status, they are expecting that would provide them easy access with the Narendra Modi government.
Among them, while Kambhampati held that position during the previous TDP regime, Sujana Choudhary is presently in BJP, though originally he was from TDP. Four of them claimed to have close contacts in Delhi to persuade the interests of the state government.
Both Galla Jayadev and Raghuramakrishnam Raju claimed that as `victims of YCP regime’ they should be given priority. Moreover, the YCP regime targeted Jayadev’s business and as a result he was forced to keep away from contests in recent Lok Sabha elections. Only after his reluctance, Guntur seat was offered to present Union Minister of state Pemmasani Chandrasekhar. Otherwise, Jayadev would have a chance to join the union cabinet after electing as MP for a third time.
Raghurama Raju claimed that injustice was done to him avoiding his Narsapur Lok Sabha seat. Though elected to the Assembly, he was not inducted into the cabinet. Claiming that he played a crucial role in exposing Jaganmohan Reddy government’s anarchy, he is seeking a respectable position in New Delhi, in view of his vast connectivity with various sections in the National Capital.
Kambhampati claims that he has the experience of working as a special representative of the state government in Delhi, has relations with the leaders of the BJP and all other political parties, and that he is the most senior member of the party also.
Now it is interesting how Chandrababu Naidu chose his government’s special representative in New Delhi. According to sources, he is likely to choose one among Kambhampati or Jayadev, as both of them are more accessible for the party.
