Several Andhra Pradesh ministers today expressed hope that the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting will be convened soon for electing a successor to late YS Rajasekhara Reddy after the party high command takes a decision in this regard.
"After our high command decides, we are hoping, it will be very soon. After the high command decides a date, the CLP meeting will be convened," Higher Education minister D Sridhar Babu told reporters.
Sridhar Babu and senior ministers, including K Lakshmi Narayana, A Ramnarayana Reddy, N Raghuveera Reddy, held a press conference here.
Replying to a query, Sridhar Babu said he and his colleagues do not want to anticipate anything about choosing the successor to YSR.
"We don't want to anticipate any next steps. We are very very positive. Whatever Sonia Gandhiji decides, she decides in the interest of party and government," he said.
Asked about the surveys carried out by a section of the media about YSR's successor, he said they are conducted by the TV channels out of their volition and that the Congress has nothing to do with it.
Expressing anguish over some media reports that the ministers are not cooperating with chief minister K Rosaiah, they said they have full respect for Rosaiah.
"We are trying to come to terms with the tragedy. The reports in a section of the media that we are not cooperating and not attending the official reviews is not true. We are committed to our work as ever," Ramnarayana Reddy said.
"As per the Constitution, there is nothing like an interim or temporary chief minister. Upon taking oath, the person will be chief minister or whatever," Reddy added.
Meanwhile, Rosaiah also said there are no differences in the Cabinet and that some ministers did not attend reviews after taking permission.
"Whoever did not attend reviews, they took permission. Some of the ministers were attending condolence meetings during the mourning period that ended yesterday. All of us have proper understanding and there are no differences," he said.
