REPORTERS’ DIARY : How Revanth made leaders of both BRS and Cong happy

Congress-bound turncoat MLAs with an eye on Cabinet berth had to swallow their pride and listen to some hard talk by Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who declared in Delhi after meeting party brass that such legislators cannot be accommodated. The Chief Minister, who had camped at Delhi for two days to inter alia discuss cabinet expansion and the appointment of new TPCC president, said that MLAs who had won on Congress ‘B’ form would have a chance to get into the cabinet upon its expansion. For good measure, he clarified that the MLAs who had joined the Congress recently would not be given minister posts. This plain-speaking by Revanth has warmed the cockles of the hearts of BRS brass. For, fence-sitters among BRS MLAs would think twice before defecting. Even within the Congress, edgy leaders are heaving a sigh of relief as they no longer have to face competition from turncoat MLAs eyeing ministerial positions.