Rosaiah quits, makes way for Kiran Reddy

Reddy, who was the Speaker of the Assembly, will take oath as chief minister on Thursday morning. Earlier in the day, Konijeti Rosaiah tendered his resignation on health grounds and “advanced age,”  bringing an end to his 14-month stay in the hot seat.

In a sudden move, Rosaiah who returned from Delhi on Tuesday after meeting the party high command, decided to quit and handed over his resignation to the governor on Wednesday morning.

Governor ESL Narasimhan, who accepted the resignation, has also asked him to continue in office till the formation of a new government. The CLP meeting then passed a resolution unanimously authorising party chief Sonia Gandhi to decide Rosaiah’s successor. Rosaiah’s exit is being seen as part of political management by the Congress high command in the wake of the simmering Telangana issue and a virtual revolt by Jagan Reddy, son of late chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy.

Rosaiah, however, said he was qutting on health grounds because of his inability to carry on the burden of running the government. “I was at an advanced age when I accepted the post and the pressure of handling all departments has cast an impact on my health,” 77-year old Rosaiah told reporters before he left for Raj Bhavan.

The septuagenarian leader had been catapulted to the chief minister’s chair after a chopper crash killed charismatic leader Rajasekhar Reddy.