Sources say that the Praja Rajyam chief K Chiranjeevi will be made a minster of state with independent charge in the Union Cabinet. This has been already informed to Mr. Chiranjeevi. As per the norms, first he would be made a member of the Rajya Sabha and then will be inducted as a minister. For this, the party high command is thinking of making the incumbent Rajya Sabha member N Janardhan Reddy a Governor, so that his seat falls vacant and Chiranjeevi can be accommodated in it.

By sending former CMs like Mr Janardhan Reddy and Mr K. Rosaiah to Raj Bhavans, the AICC will also be able to fill the vacancies for the gubernatorial posts with Andhra leaders as there has been no Governor from the state in the last three years. However, with the formal merger of the PR into the Congress a week away and prospects of a Union Cabinet reshuffle looming large, the time seems ripe for Mr Janardhan Reddy to make way for Mr Chiranjeevi.