APCC chief to meet Sonia over portfolio

After senior Congress leader N. Janardhana Reddy going into a sulk on being denied a Cabinet berth, the APCC chief D.Srinivas is said to have sought an appointment with party chief Sonia Gandhi to express his displeasure at the portfolio he has been handed by the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh.

According to state leaders, Srinivas was eying the Deputy CM post and was disappointed to find himself the Minister for Rural Development. Srinivas is said to have expressed his desire to decline the position and continue as the PCC chief. It is learnt that he could convey this decision to Sonia tomorrow. Srinivas met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today.

Meanwhile, another senior leader G. Venkataswamy, who was said to be disgruntled over not being included in the Union government, today softened his stand and said he was ‘‘ready to compromise’’. His son, G. Vinod, who was sworn-in as the Labour Minister in the AP government, has been camping in Delhi for past two days. It was learnt that he was considering resigning in protest against his father being sidelined.