HYDERABAD: In a politically significant development, chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy paid an unscheduled visit to Rajya Sabha MP KVP Ramachandra Rao on Sunday. The chief minister was on his way home after winding up his day’s work when he decided to drive to the Congress leader’s residence. He was closeted with Rao for more than an hour and reportedly discussed party and government affairs with him. Sources said Kiran called on Ramachandra Rao as part of his latest moves to widen consultations with various party sections. PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana too has been engaged in meeting drifting sections to win back leaders showing an inclination to sail with Congress exile Jagan Mohan Reddy.Ever since Kiran Kumar assumed the mantle of chief ministership in November last year, a little awkwardness had crept into party leaders’ relations with Ramachandra Rao, who was the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s closest aide. Barely weeks after taking over as chief minister, Kiran Kumar made a seemingly off-hand announcement in New Delhi that the resignations of YSR-appointed advisers, including Ramachandra Rao, would be invited. This went down in the media as a blunt snub to the once all-powerful Ramachandra Rao.However, Ramachandra Rao’s resignation, which he submitted immediately, was never accepted. At the meeting Sunday, the Rajya Sabha MP reportedly suggested that it be accepted but the chief minister indicated no decision on it. Sunday’s consultation marks the chief minister’s effort to build bridges with significant leaders who might help in giving his regime stability. His predecessor K Rosaiah used to consult Ramachandra Rao but after Kiran took over, he was not invited into the inner circle. Ramachandra Rao had been keeping a low profile since then till recently when he met Ghulam Nabi Azad in Hyderabad and Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.
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