The two Telugu states are debating on the possibilities of former chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s plans to quit the Congress once again and join the BJP. He is said to be holding talks with the top leadership of the BJP.
Kiran Kumar Reddy was the last chief minister of the undivided Andhra Pradesh. He was in the post from November 2010 to March 2014. He strongly opposed the bifurcation of the state when he was the chief minister.
He did not allow the Assembly to take up the bifurcation bill and had made the Assembly pass a resolution opposing the bifurcation. He sponsored the AP NGOs and other government employees to lead Samaikyandhra movement against bifurcation.
Kiran Kumar Reddy was the champion of the Congress MPs like Lagadapati Rajagopal, Sabbam Hari, Undavalli Arun Kumar and G V Harsha Kumar, who opposed the bifurcation both in the Parliament and outside. He masterminded the Samaikyandhra agitation those days.
His intensive campaign against bifurcation caused dearly for the Congress, which had lost its base in the state after bifurcation. The Congress high command is upset with him for killing the Congress in the state and disobeying the party on bifurcation issue.
Though joined the Congress in 2018, Kiran Kumar Reddy expected a better deal in return from the party. He wanted to be the general secretary of the AICC and hold incharge post for some state or the other, where he could command the state leaders.
He wanted to be on equal lines with Digvijay Singh, Oommen Chandy and others who served as chief ministers of their respective states and now holding incharge of some state in the country as AICC general secretary.
However, the Congress leadership did not take him seriously and kept on ignoring his requests for upgradation of his position. He feels that the Congress did not honour his requests and give him his due place in the party.
It is for this reason, Kiran Kumar Reddy is said to be looking at the BJP leadership. The BJP too is looking for an influential leader from among the Reddy community. Thus, the BJP finds Kiran Kumar Reddy as an apt choice. It is to be seen how far these plans help both the BJP and Kiran Kumar Reddy as well.
