Cong high command goes soft with Kiran

HYDERABAD: The Congress high command appears to be going soft on Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, notwithstanding a flurry of media reports suggesting that he might launch a political party after January 23.

That the ruling party was willing to give its Chief Minister a long rope was evident from the statement of AICC observer and senior leader Vayalar Ravi in New Delhi on Monday. In an interaction with media, Ravi brushed aside the media reports speculating about Kiran launching a new party.

'I do not think Kiran will leave the Congress. He is a committed and loyal worker of the party. He will not launch a new party and will continue in the Congress,' Ravi said. "Kiran has not done anything wrong, says Vayalar Ravi; brushes aside new party talk"

While reiterating the party's stand on formation of Telangana State by dividing Andhra Pradesh, the AICC leader said the Chief Minister was well within his rights to express his views against the bifurcation of the State. 'There is nothing wrong in differing with the Centre's decision to divide the State. It does not amount to violation of party discipline,' he said.

Reacting to the Chief Minister's observation that the Congress party would lose heavily in both Telangana and Seemandhra if the State was bifurcated, Ravi said it was Kiran's personal opinion. 'We are committed to formation of Telangana and we shall fulfill it,' he said.

The AICC leader's comments clearly indicate that the party has no plans, whatsoever, of taking any action against the Chief Minister despite his outburst against the high command for seeking to divide the State.

By sending positive signals to Kiran, the high command is apparently trying to undo the damage to party in Seemandhra region, as it knows that the party would face a complete doom if Kiran floats a new party and takes a larger flock of leaders away with him.

Last week, AICC General Secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh also sent a similar message to Kiran that the party has no plans to get him out of the party.

While issuing show-cause notice to senior Congress legislator from Rayalaseema J C Diwakar Reddy for his comments against party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, the AICC general secretary said there was no need to issue any show-cause notice to the Chief Minister, as he had not spoken anything against party or its leadership.

'Kiran has not defied the party leadership, but has only expressed the concerns of the Seemandhra people,' he said and expressed confidence that the Chief Minister would go by the high command's decision.

In fact, Digvijay also recalled the services of Kiran's father late N Amarnath Reddy to the party. 'The entire family of Kiran has been loyal to the Congress party and so, we do not have any doubts about his integrity and commitment towards the party,' Digvijay Singh said.

Sources say the high command is pretty confident that the Chief Minister would not desert the party at this stage, when the elections are hardly four months away.

'The party will convince him to stay back by assuring to take care of his political interests in the coming days, as there is no way it can go back on the bifurcation at this stage,' sources said.