Andhra Congress: United we stand, for now

Hyderabad: It's a matter of relief for the Congress party, and for Andhra Chief Minister K Rosaiah. Jaganmohan Reddy, who could have pushed the party into crisis, seems to have given his blessing to Rosaiah taking over as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the state. Rosaiah took over as chief minister after Jaganmohan's father, Y S Rajaskhara Reddy, died in a helicopter crash three months ago.

Since then, YSR's supporters have been demanding that his son be made chief minister. But Jaganmohan seems to have been convinced by central party leaders to stay on as MP. Party sources say he may be offered a berth in the Union Ministry as a Minister of State.

So at the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Hyderabad on Friday, it was Jaganmohan who moved a reoslution giving Sonia Gandhi the authority to pick the new CLP leader.  She's expected to select Rosaiah.

Asking Jagan to move the resolution was clearly meant to end all speculation of a divided house.  For now, that seems to have worked. "We did want Jagan. We are not disputing that. But at the same time, we will listen to Sonia Gandhi. She is our leader," says  Ponnam Prabhakar, a Congress MP.

While Jagan has behaved like a loyal Congressman, the chief minister will have to watch his back. Jagan's camp is hefty, and in recent months, it has invoked YSR's memory to add weight to its demands.