Unhappy Andhra Pradesh CM Kiran Kumar Reddy Tells Sonia He Can’t Preside Over The Bifurcation Of AP. Stating that he would not be able to oversee the process of the division of the state as decided upon by the Congress high command, chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy is believed to have submitted his resignation to party president Sonia Gandhi. The resignation letter was handed over to Sonia at her 10 Janpath residence around 5 pm on Friday, highly-placed sources privy to the development said.
The resignation was the culmination of a day of significant developments in Delhi on Friday. According to the sources, when Kiran Kumar Reddy reiterated his opposition to the division of the state at his meeting with AICC functionaries Digvijay Singh and Ghulam Nabi Azad, the latter informed him that the die was cast and that Rayala-Telangana was in the making. Both the central leaders told Kiran Kumar Reddy that the division of the state was the decision of the Congress president and as chief minister, he should cooperate in its execution, the sources told INN. “But the CM stuck to his guns and made it clear that he could not and would not preside over the division of the state as he was principally against it. Azad and Digvijay then told him to convey the same to Sonia. However, the CM could not secure an appointment and finally, due to the intervention of Azad, managed to get an audience with the party chief at 5 pm. Kiran Kumar then reiterated his position and handed over his resignation to Sonia,” the sources said.
Kiran’s resignation letter is now lying with Sonia’s political secretary Ahmed Patel who informed Azad of the development and the matter figured in the Congress core committee meeting on Friday evening. Any announcement of a change in state leadership will come after the conclusion of the gram panchayat polls on July 31.
Kiran Kumar was not available for comment. But the dramatic developments in Delhi on Friday was confirmed, albeit indirectly, by none else than the chief minister. “The CM left Delhi for Hyderabad soon after his meeting with Sonia and on Saturday, skipped the Secretariat, cancelled all his appointments, and went to Nalsar University in a helicopter for the only engagement of the day,” the sources said.
In fact, Kiran Kumar Reddy’s firm stand, unlike that of many Seemandhra Union and state cabinet ministers, surprised the central leaders of the party. “Kiran has made it clear that overseeing the division of the state would spell doom for his political career. Therefore, the best option for him is to strongly protest the bifurcation and relinquish office when the division becomes a certainty,” said the sources.
FIRST CASUALTY?
- Kiran is believed to have submitted his resignation to party chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday
- Reiterates his opposition to the division of the state during his meeting with Digvijay and Azad
- Both AICC functionaries advised CM to cooperate on the bifurcation issue
- CM’s firm stand surprises central leaders of the party
- Any announcement on a change in state leadership can come after the conclusion of the gram panchayat polls on July 31
