Former Congress leader and last chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, Kiran Kumar Reddy, on Friday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Union minister Pralhad Joshi in the national capital.
He had quit the Congress on March 11.
Soon after his induction into the BJP, Reddy hit out at the Congress high command – apparent reference to the Gandhi family – for its inability to accept people’s verdict and make a course correction. Reddy said this is the reason why he left the Congress.
“My king is very intelligent. He does not think on his own and he does not listen to anyone’s advice,” he said, attacking his former party leaders.
“They believe they are correct and all others, including the people of India, are wrong,” he added, accusing them of being unable to analyse repeated electoral failures of the party.
He said the Congress was getting “damaged in all states” and that the party’s “bad decisions” was the main reason why it was losing its footprint in the country.
The four-time former MLA said the Congress wants authority to control but doesn’t want to work hard or take any responsibility.
{{/usCountry}}The four-time former MLA said the Congress wants authority to control but doesn’t want to work hard or take any responsibility.
{{/usCountry}}Reddy lauded the BJP leaders, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for their hard work and commitment towards the nation and its development. Its (BJP’s) leadership has clarity of thought and consistency, and taking courageous decisions is the hallmark of the government, he said.
In a one line letter to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on March 11, Reddy said: “Please accept this letter as my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress.”
It is not for the first time that Reddy quit the Congress. In 2014, following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, he had quit the party and formed his own party, ‘Jai Samaikyandhra’.
In 2018, he returned to the Congress, after his party failed, but remained politically inactive. He also remained inactive during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the Bharat Jodo Yatra when it was passing Andhra Pradesh.
“Many members of Kiran Kumar Reddy’s family were in the Congress. When I met him some time ago, he told me that he was influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Today, he is taking a big leap and joining the BJP. He will strengthen our fight against corruption because his image as an MLA and minister has been very clean. It will be a big boost for the BJP in Andhra Pradesh,” Joshi said.
On Reddy’s move, Congress MP Manickam Tagore tweeted: “Another NPA (non-performing asset?!) goes to BJP.”
(With PTI inputs)