Chiru offers to troubleshoot for Congress

                                                                            

As the infighting in the Congress continued to bog down the leadership, newly-elected Rajya Sabha member K. Chiranjeevi has come forward to set the party's house in order by taking the initiative to end differences among the warring groups.

Mr. Chiranjeevi, who received the certificate of election to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, called on Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy at his camp office and is said to have expressed anguish over the growing infighting and open war of words between the anti and pro-Kiran groups.

The erstwhile Praja Rajyam chief, who is also the APCC Coordination Committee member, is understood to have expressed his willingness to work for bringing unity among the leaders.

Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy is said to have welcomed his decision to bring an end to the differences among the leaders ahead of the by-elections to 18 Assembly seats, including Tirupati, which he is likely to vacate consequent to his election to the Rajya Sabha.

Mr. Chiranjeevi's initiative assumes significance after the open revolt by a section of the leadership in the wake of the dismal performance in the recent by-elections to seven Assembly constituencies. Minister D. L. Ravindra Reddy, former Ministers P.Shankar Rao and Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy besides the Telangana Congress MPs and leaders from the region have declared an open war against the Chief Minister going to the extent of seeking his ouster.

Concerned over the growing number of the Chief Minis ter's detractors, Mr. Chiranjeevi is understood to have told Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy that he would be willing to take the responsibility and see that the differences are sorted out to a large extent.