Kiran keen on quitting next week
Hyderabad: The political circles are abuzz with speculation about the possible resignation of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy next week as the Centre is going ahead with the process of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh without any let-up.
This is bound to rattle the Congress high command at a time when the party is gearing up for the next general elections. Kiran, who does not want to go down in the history as the last Chief Minister of integrated Andhra Pradesh, had already offered to quit and he is waiting for the right opportunity to make an exit.
In fact, he had told the media soon after the Congress Working Committee's decision on Telangana state formation that he could not be a party to the bifurcation decision.
As it is becoming increasingly clear that the Chief Minister is waging a losing battle to keep the state united, his camp is in a state of deep despair.
The Chief Minister and his Seemandhra supporters tried their best to stall the division process and prevent the draft Telangana Bill from being referred to the Assembly but their efforts went in vain.
This has dented the credibility of the Chief Minister has been projecting himself as the champion of Samaikyandhra cause.
The allegations of Seemandhra leaders of Telugu Desam and YSR Congress that the chief minister was hand in glove with the Congress high command and was playing to its tune in the bifurcation issue, has further eroded his credibility.
Though Kiran claimed recently that the last ball was not yet bowled and the match was still on, the combative comments failed to instil confidence among his followers.
The Seemandhra Ministers' attempt to distance themselves from the Chief Minister is also unnerving them. It is widely felt that the objections being raised by the chief minister may at best help in delaying the discussion on the Bill to some extent but they do not stop the introduction of the Bill in the next session of the Parliament.
Since the BJP has promised to cooperate in seeing through the Telangana Bill in the Parliament, its passage would be a formality and formation of Telangana by March next year looks almost certain.
The Chief Minister's resignation at this stage might trigger a political crisis and force the party high command to go for a political bargain with him.
News Posted: 22 December, 2013
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