I will not be a party to any destructive decision: Reddy

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy is unlikely to come on board to split the state for forming Telangana state, but has managed to "put off an announcement for now".

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy is unlikely to come on board to split the state for forming Telangana state, but has managed to "put off an announcement for now".

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Ahead of the Congress core group meet on the issue in Delhi on Friday, he reportedly told party president Sonia Gandhi, "Creating Telangana would be a suicidal step and it would be difficult to preside over any move to bifurcate the state."

On Saturday, a source close to the CM said he had conveyed similar sentiments to Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh as well. "I will not be a party to any destructive decision," Reddy reportedly told Singh after being told the decision on creation of Telangana could not be put off any further.

"He told Singh dividing Andhra Pradesh would harm the state as well as the Congress," the source said.

After returning from Delhi, Reddy met a few state legislators close to him and narrated details of his interaction with Gandhi and Singh. "They have taken a decision, but we made them put off an announcement for now. We have to first complete the elections to local bodies," the CM reportedly told the legislators.

Polls to ULBs will be complete by the second week of September. Immediately thereafter, the state will have to go for elections to mandal and zila parishads in accordance with a Supreme Court order.