Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy may have just three weeks to complete three years in power, but his challenge to the Congress high command over the bifurcation issue and the growing indications that he would walk away suggest that he could probably end his tenure before November 24.
A day after Congress in-charge of AP affairs Digvijaya Singh declared that Kiran would tow the high command’s line on Telangana, the chief minister said, “Digvijaya Singh was speaking for himself and not for me”.
His tough posturing in the face of the Congress high command’s effort to expedite Telangana formation has come as a surprise for all united Andhra leaders.
Union HRD minister M M Pallam Raju also reiterated that he was uncomfortable with “hasty steps for Telangana formation.”
The minister reaffirmed his commitment to a united AP, despite withdrawing his resignation letter on prime minister's assurance that all issues will be settled before bifurcation.
“We are all unhappy with the high command, but we are committed in our opposition to the CWC decision. We will voice our protest at all forums of the party,” Pallam Raju said in Delhi.
“There is no change in my stand on samaikyandhra, as I am personally and politically convinced that only a united state was good for people and that bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh would badly affect the people of Telangana,” Kiran said.
His comments came in the wake of reports from Delhi that Union minister of state Kotla Suryabhaskar Reddy has been put on notice to take over the rein in AP from Kiran by next week if necessary.
The Kurnool leader, who is the son of former chief minister K Vijayabhaskar Reddy, is a campaigner for Rayala Telangana.
Before leaving Delhi for Hyderabad after attending the Coordination committee meeting, Kiran told reporters that he has not spoken against Telangana ever, but has only been campaigning for Samaikyandra.
“Bifurcation will lead to problems in water sharing, education and government employees, besides Hyderabad and Law and order,” the chief minister said, adding that he will continue his campaign for the united Andhra state.
Ever since the Congress high command’s decision on July 30 to bifurcate the state, AICC trouble-shooters have been trying to lure Kiran into the Telangana camp without much luck. Kiran said he had even offered to resign in the wake of his opposition to the party’s plans, but the high command rejected it.
“I told them I will not support the Telangana resolution or the Bill in Assembly and will resign after opposing it in the house,” he said.
Meanwhile, pro-Telangana activists in Congress and TRS have openly blamed Kiran for the delay in the statehood process, while the chief minister’s stand has been termed by the TDP and YSR Congress parties as ‘drama’ enacted at Sonia Gandhi’s behest.
They have also accused the chief minister of having no real sentiments for the united Andhra, but is interested only in retaining his seat in the 2014 elections.
The rift between Telangana and Seemandhra Congress MLAs and ministers is vitiating the political atmosphere in the state, prompting the pro-Telangana deputy chief minister Damodar Raja Narasimha to complain against the chief minister to the high command.
Notwithstanding the growing rift between pro- and- anti- bifurcation lobbies within the party, the chief minister recently sanctioned Rs 5,800 crore for drinking water project in his native Chittoor, which has disturbed the high command.
His move to conduct 'Racha Banda' (village meetings) from next week allegedly to campaign for Samaikyandhra and his growing popularity have irked the Congress top brass and the chief minister’s opponents alike.
“Kiran is the first chief minister to be labeled a joker, inefficient and a traitor of Telangana,” TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, also from Chittoor, said.
Even the YSRC as labeled Kiran as a cheat who is misleading people with his united AP stand.