Bail to Jagan behind Kiran's outburst?

HYDERABAD: Why has chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy suddenly lost his cool and once again took on his party high command for its decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh? What has prompted the chief minister to almost revolt against his party leadership?

According to Congress insiders, some recent happenings in the state as well as at the AICC level have annoyed the chief minister. A major reason is said to be granting of bail to YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

A senior minister from Seemandhra told that Kiran Reddy, who is trying to emerge as the champion of Samaikyandhra by repeatedly attacking his party's T-decision, was all these days thinking that Jagan would not be released from jail.

'Kiran Reddy is confident that if Jagan remained in prison for a few more months, he could emerge as the hero in Seemandhra with his United Andhra plank.

But sudden, granting of bail to Jagan has shattered the dreams of the chief minister, who is also from the same Reddy community and also from Rayalaseema. Frustrated by this development, Kiran Reddy flew off the handle at the party high command,' the minister divulged.

He further said the chief minister was suspecting a 'tacit understanding' between Jagan and the Congress high command in the run-up to 2014 polls.

Another minister, who is a bitter critic of his boss, felt that Kiran Reddy believes his party leadership is not worried about the impact of its T-decision on the party's electoral fortunes in Seemandhra as it is hopeful that YSRC will back the Congress after 2014 polls.

Kiran Ignored?

The minister also disclosed that ever since the chief minister had questioned the Congress Working Committee's decision to bifurcate AP, the AICC high command has gradually started ignoring him.

'The chief minister has been trying to contact the AICC state affairs incharge Digvijaya Singh for the past one week. But, the AICC point man is not answering the calls of Kiran Reddy. Such is the situation now he is facing with our Delhi bosses,' the minister revealed.

'After losing his clout with the party high command, the chief minister has decided to make do-or-die efforts to emerge as the champion of Samikayndhra as he now feels that he could no longer enjoy preferential treatment at the AICC level,' he added.

Damage to party

Meanwhile, some Seemandhra ministers feel that Kiran Reddy's open revolt against the party high command is destroying the party in Seemandhra completely.

Sources said when some senior ministers, including PCC chief Botcha, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, N Raghuveera Reddy and Kondru Murali Mohan had an informal meeting among themselves on Saturday, they felt that Kiran Reddy's swashbuckling attitude against the party leadership boosted his personal image in Seemandhra.

But, at the same time Congress president Sonia Gandhi's image has taken a beating, they are learnt to have felt.