Kiran Reddy completes one year in office weathering turbulence

If some compliments are coming his way, as he completes one year in office today, they are mostly from the Indian Administrative Service officers, who are "amazed" that Reddy indeed survived the year that has been tumultuous in many ways.

When he succeeded the seasoned Konijeti Rosaiah (now Governor of Tamil Nadu) on November 25, 2010 as AP Chief Minister, none imagined Reddy would stay in office this long, given the political turbulence the state was facing.

He had to weather two storms –-the agitation for Telangana state and the rebellion by Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who walked out of the Congress to float his own YSR Congress.

While the burden of Telangana was thrust on the central government's shoulders, the threat of Jagan loomed large over the state government. "Kiran Kumar's government is surviving only at my mercy. I can pull it down even at the blink of an eye," claimed Jagan many a time.

The sailing had not been smooth for Reddy through the year.

From a virtual rebellion within hours after constituting his Cabinet, the internal squabbles among the ministers to the disarray in the ruling Congress and the growing unrest among people on various counts, Kiran had to battle several odds.