Telangana, Andhra get new PCC chiefs

Lakshmaiah has considerable influence among his OBC community — Munuru Kapu — and his appointment as Telangana PCC chief is believed to be an attempt to wean away the Kapu community from Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and BJP. While Lakshmaiah expressed happiness at being chosen for the post, sources said he was a little miffed that by appointing him as Telangana PCC chief, he may have been brushed aside as a claimant for the CM’s post in case Congress gets a chance to form the first government in Telangana.

The Congress played a similar hand in Seemandhra by appointing Neelakanthapuram Raghuveera Reddy, who belongs to the Yadav community and hails from Anantapur district of Rayalaseema. The Yadav community which he belongs to is considered to be one of the main supporters of YSR Congress Party led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, and the move to appoint him may divert a large chunk of Yadav and Backward Classes to the Congress, besides posing a challenge to Jagan Mohan Reddy himself.