CM prolongs stay in Delhi

HYDERABAD: Chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy had a busy day in Delhi Thursday, meeting Union ministers and MPs from Andhra Pradesh. Upon arrival in the national capital Wednesday night, the chief minister met AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad and discussed the need to expand the cabinet and hold byelections in the state. On Thursday he met Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Union home minister P Chidambaram and Azad and several Congress MPs in Parliament.However, as Union ministers were embroiled in business in the Rajya Sabha over a vote on the Lokpal bill, the chief minister decided to stay in New Delhi overnight. He is expected to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday to obtain her clearance for the cabinet expansion. He is expected to return to Hyderabad Friday night.