Botsa began his task of rejuvenating the listless cadre, and curb dissension in the party ranks, apart from handling other responsibilities, by assuming charge as PCC chief.
Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayana began his assigned task of rejuvenating the listless cadre, curb dissension in the party ranks, and bring peace among Cabinet Ministers on odds with each other, apart from handling other responsibilities, by taking charge as the Pradesh Congress Committee president at the Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, former chief ministers K Rosaiah and Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy, outgoing PCC president D Srinivas, Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy, AICC Additional In-Charge of AP Affairs KV Krishnamurthy, Union Minister of State Pannabaka Lakshmi, several state Cabinet Ministers and MPs, MLAs and MLCs and other former PCC presidents K Kesava Rao and Satyanarayana (who is currently the APSRTC Chairman), were present at the Prakasam Hall to welcome Satyanarayana as the ruling party's chief.
Botsa replaces D Srinivas, who was in his 3rd term when he was replaced.
The Transport Minister has tough task on his hands, with the YSR Congress Party launched by former Congress leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy making inroads into Congress bastions across the state.
Botsa needs to ensure that the MLAs who have a soft heart for Jaganmohan Reddy do not cross over to him, while at the same time being strict with Congress leaders who have already done so.
Apart from that, Botsa must rejuvenate the Congress cadre across the state, most of who are disenchanted with the party after their hopes of their own political careers taking an upward trend have gone unfulfilled.
He also must to find ways to ensure that a resurgent Telangana Rashtra Samithi does not walk away with the accolades as the separate Telangana statehood agitation intensifies.
The main opposition Telugu Desam Party is largely seen to be the least of Botsa's worries, as the former seems busy protecting its own turf from sustained attacks by the TRS in Telangana and the YSR Congress Party in Seemandhra.
Besides this, Botsa must calm the increasing ruffling of feathers of some Cabinet Ministers who are engaged in a bitter turf war.
The impending Cabinet expansion will also be another litmus test of Botsa Satyanarayana's skills, as the possibilities of some Congress leaders being left disappointed are very high.
Earlier, Botsa made his way to the Gandhi Bhavan from his resident in a massive procession of party activists and leaders.
He had garlanded former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's statue at Punjagutta, former prime minister Indira Gandhi's statue in Necklace Road, Dr. B R Ambedkar's statue at Tank Bund and Babu Jagjivan Ram's statue at Basheer Bagh Press Club before proceeding to Gandhi Bhavan.
Botsa had also offered prayers at the Bangaru Mysamma temple at Nampally. (INN)