Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s absence at the Congress foundation function held at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday gave rise to speculations that he was about to launch his own party.
The function was attended by PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana, MP V. Hanumantha Rao, ministers K. Jana Reddy, Ponnala Laxmaiah, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy, Danam Nagendar and others.
After garlanding the statue of former minister P. Janardhan Reddy on the occasion of his death anniversary, the CM left for a book release function.
Some Congress leaders said that the CM was deliberately staying away from party functions. Recently he was also absent for late prime minister Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary celebrations at Gandhi Bhavan.
Party sources said that Kiran’s absence at such functions was an indication that he was about to launch his own political party.
However, other leaders said that the CM would remain in the Congress and had no plans of launching a party. They alleged that a few leaders close to Kiran were spreading these rumours.
Recalling an earlier incident at Gandhi Bhavan wherein some Telangana Congress leaders had openly criticised PCC president Satyanarayana, the leaders said that the CM was staying away to avoid such incidents. If he wanted to launch his own party, why would he go to Delhi to attend the Congress Chief Ministers’ conference recently? they questioned.
A few party leaders, meanwhile, were visibly upset with the CM for missing the function. Hanumantha Rao directly and Satyanarayana indirectly criticised the CM for his absence.
Speaking to media, Rao said that it was painful to him that the CM was missing. He said that while AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi had called to fight against corruption, the CM was busy signing files. He asked Kiran Kumar Reddy to emulate Gandhi.
Satyanarayana, in his speech, said that everyone in the party must remember that they were in their current positions because of the party.
Next: CM says MLAs behave like ward members
CM says MLAs behave like ward members
Hyderabad: Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday criticised legislators and said that they had become like ward committee members. He said MLAs were not bothered about increasing their knowledge.
The CM said this during the launch of Prapancha Deshalu, Paalana Vyavasthulu written by Daggubati Venkateswara Rao.
He remarked that Venkateswara Rao had turned a writer as the Congress was not able to utilise him and he was without work for the last three years. Justice J. Chalameshwar who participated in the function, objected to the judiciary being blamed for pendency in cases.
He said that there was no change in the number of courts since 1980. He said pendency will decrease when number of courts increase.
