AP cabinet ministers slug it out over ''YSR legacy''

Hyderabad, Feb 14 (PTI) Serious differences prevailingwithin the Congress-led government in Andhra Pradesh came tothe fore once again today with a few ministers getting into averbal duel at the cabinet meeting over the so-called "YSRlegacy".

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who chaired themeeting in the state Secretariat here, had to remain a mutespectator as his colleagues Vatti Vasantha Kumar, D L RavindraReddy, Botsa Satyanarayana, Aanam Ramanarayana Reddy andothers got into a heated argument, cabinet sources said.

It was Vatti (Tourism Minister), who reportedly raisedthe issue of continuing the "YSR legacy" and objected to thecriticism of the late Chief Minister''s policies by RavindraReddy (Health Minister) and others, they said.

Ravindra Reddy, a b�te noire of Y S R Reddy, hit back,saying they would not remain quiet if anyone attacked theirleader Sonia Gandhi. It was an oblique reference to YSR''s sonY S Jaganmohan Reddy, who had been attacking Gandhi since hisexit from the Congress in November last, the sources added.

Vatti noted that the government was trying to implementall the schemes launched by YSR. At that point, Satyanarayana(Transport Minister) referred to the fee reimbursement schemefor students pursuing professional courses and lamented theinordinate delay in release of funds.

Finance Minister Aanam Ramanarayana retorted that therewas no laxity on part of the government in releasing the fundsas promised, the sources said.

Infrastructure Minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy anda couple of others too joined the issue but the Chief Ministerremained silent, they said.