Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s absence at the Congress foundation function held at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday gave rise to speculations that he was about to launch his own party.
The function was attended by PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana, MP V. Hanumantha Rao, ministers K. Jana Reddy, Ponnala Laxmaiah, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy, Danam Nagendar and others.
After garlanding the statue of former minister P. Janardhan Reddy on the occasion of his death anniversary, the CM left for a book release function.
Some Congress leaders said that the CM was deliberately staying away from party functions. Recently he was also absent for late prime minister Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary celebrations at Gandhi Bhavan.
Party sources said that Kiran’s absence at such functions was an indication that he was about to launch his own political party.
However, other leaders said that the CM would remain in the Congress and had no plans of launching a party. They alleged that a few leaders close to Kiran were spreading these rumours.
Recalling an earlier incident at Gandhi Bhavan wherein some Telangana Congress leaders had openly criticised PCC president Satyanarayana, the leaders said that the CM was staying away to avoid such incidents. If he wanted to launch his own party, why would he go to Delhi to attend the Congress Chief Ministers’ conference recently? they questioned.
A few party leaders, meanwhile, were visibly upset with the CM for missing the function. Hanumantha Rao directly and Satyanarayana indirectly criticised the CM for his absence.
Speaking to media, Rao said that it was painful to him that the CM was missing. He said that while AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi had called to fight against corruption, the CM was busy signing files. He asked Kiran Kumar Reddy to emulate Gandhi.
Satyanarayana, in his speech, said that everyone in the party must remember that they were in their current positions because of the party.
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Though vocal about his opposition to the Centre's decision on Telangana, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy made best efforts to mask his plans to move out of the Congress. But he couldn't defy the spying eyes of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which has said that Kiran does have plans to launch a new political party.
The IB report submitted to the Centre states that Reddy would resign after opposing the Telengana Bill in the Assembly or after Parliament approval. Reddy, who has been openly supporting United AP, has been a stumbling block for the Congress, which is firm on Telangana, notwithstanding the opposition in Seemandhra region.The IB says that though Reddy is under pressure to form a new party right away, he is expected to wait for the right opportunity. His open defiance is an indication of his ultimate aim to become the champion of the cause of United AP. From where Reddy draws his confidence to form a new party is the support he enjoys from 45 MLAs, 11 ministers and 10 MPs, who have been insisting on sending the Telangana Bill to Assembly for clearance. Reddy group's plan is to put the Bill for voting in the Assembly and get it defeated.Reddy had been hinting at a new party for long as he hired agencies to conduct a survey in the Seemandhra region to determine which way the political wind is blowing and about the possibilities of a new political party. In the questionnaire, respondents were asked if there is a need for a new political party in the wake of the state’s division.People were also asked whether Reddy should continue in the Congress after the division and if he launches a new party, will he be able to win in the next elections. That apart, the survey also asked whether Reddy should launch a new political party with the slogan of a united state and whether they think he is acting according to the Congress high command’s wishes.The Congress high command, which is upset with Reddy over his anti-Telangana overtures, has been treading cautiously. What has worsened the battle is his letter to the President and the Prime Minister, questioning the basis on which the Congress Working Committee decided to divide the state.Kiran's rebellion has irked the Telangana Congress leaders, who are demanding his dismissal. Understandably, both Kiran and Congress are aware of the consequences of his dismissal at this time of forming a new state. Meanwhile many names are doing rounds as Reddy's successor. IB has suggested five possible successors to Kiran Kumar Reddy in its report, which include Union minister Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy, state ministers Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Botsa Satyanarayana, N. Raghuveera Reddy and Kanna Laxminarayana.Not just Kiran Reddy's hostility, but there have been several aspects within the Congress that are delaying the Telangana process. A conflict is evident between the Centre and Congress.AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh said that the bifurcation issue will be referred to the Assembly twice. But Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said only the Telangana Bill (not the bifurcation resolution) would be debated in the Assembly.Even as Group of Ministers is to hear political concerns over the new state, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that a Bill on Telangana will be prepared before the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government ends. However, he sounded doubtful that the Bill will be introduced in the winter Session starting in December.Meanwhile, Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi summoning minister Kanna Laxminarayana has sparked off speculations of reshuffle in the Pradesh Congress Committee. Kanna is said to be the high command choice to head the PCC for Seemandhra region and the search is on for a person for Telangana PCC. With that Congress may be strategising to keep out Botsa Narayana, current PCC chief. Congress party official spokesperson from AP, N Tulasi Reddy has voiced his concerns saying, it would be difficult for the central government to overlook the old conventions adopted by previous governments and to bypass constitutional procedures while forming the new state. He feels the government might agree for united Andhra.Days after the A.K. Antony Committee submitted its report, Telangana Congress leaders have decided to oppose the report on Hyderabad city and Bhadrachalam division. They want both the regions to be under Telangana. Hyderabad has been the bone of contention. They said that the Hyderabad revenue district should be made the joint capital, and not the GHMC limits as proposed. The leaders also asked Deputy CM Damodar Raja Narasimha to look into aspects of sharing Hyderabad’s revenue by both states after the division. Minister Jaipal Reddy says that the leaders would be happy if the Telangana state was formed, but they would protest if more obligations were imposed on them keeping Hyderabad as a joint capital for 10 years.
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