CLP to meet today

Nearly three months after Y S Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) died in a helicopter crash, a meeting of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has been convened on Friday to condole the death of the former chief minister and formally elect the CLP leader.

Chief minister, K Rosaiah, who was asked by the Congress high command to take over the reigns of the state soon after YSR's death, is expected to be elected as the CLP leader, bringing down the curtains on the leadership drama.

Fearing trouble from loyalists of YSR’s son and CM-aspirant YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the ruling party has been reluctant to convene the customary meeting of the CLP. The high command has convened the meeting now after getting Jagan Mohan Reddy agree to its plan to continue Rosaiah as chief minister.

Union ministers, Pranab Mukherjee and Veerappa Moily, will attend the meeting as AICC observers. By virtue of being an MP, Jagan Mohan Reddy is an ex-officio member of the CLP. However, it remains to be seen whether he will attend the meeting.

Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has decided to field YSR’s widow YS Vijayalakshmi for the by-election to Pulivendula Assembly seat in Kadapa district, scheduled to be held on December 19.