Having emerged as a champion of united Andhra Pradesh due to his strong anti-Telangana stand, chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy may soon quit his post and the Congress to form his own political party.
Sources in the Andhra Pradesh Congress said Reddy has worked out all modalities and made full preparations to form the new political outfit that would espouse the cause of the people from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, jointly called Seemandhra, and fight against any move to split the state.
A state Congress leader said Reddy would quit both his post and the Congress once the state assembly gives its opinion on the Telangana bill. He said Reddy has been mulling to quit for a long time now and had even offered to put in his papers soon after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) gave its nod to the bifurcation.
Reddy and many of his party colleagues from Seemandhra are well aware of the impact of bifurcating Andhra and have repeatedly conveyed to the Congress high command that they face electoral decimation in 2014 assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
The chief minister’s defiance has enabled him to regain the ground he had lost in Seemandhra for being a part of the decision.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister’s defiance has enabled him to regain the ground he had lost in Seemandhra for being a part of the decision.
{{/usCountry}}However, his detractors have questioned the late realisation on his part, asking why Reddy did not resist the move when his views were sought on the proposed move.
Political observers say Reddy wants to cash on his rising popularity in Seemandhra and ensure his political survival. If Reddy goes ahead with his move, he could prove a threat to YSR Congress Party chief Jaganmohan Reddy whose clout in Seemandhra is on the surge due to his anti-Telangana stand, they said.