M A I N   N E W S

Kiran Reddy new Andhra CM
Suresh Dharur
Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, November 24
On a day of dramatic developments in Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister, K Rosaiah, resigned today, citing “personal and health reasons”, and the Assembly Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy was named his successor. Reddy, a cricketer-turned-politician, will be sworn-in as the new Chief Minister tomorrow. The move is widely seen as a strategy to checkmate the rebel MP and CM-aspirant YS Jaganmohan Reddy.

A breathless pace of events unfolded during the day soon after the septuagenarian leader announced his resignation, ending a 14 month-long turbulent tenure marked by growing rebellion within the party. Minutes after making the dramatic announcement before the media, Rosaiah, 78, drove straight to the Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to Governor ESL Narasimhan and requested him to accept it with immediate effect.

Later, an emergency meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) was held with Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, AK Antony, Veerappa Moily and Ghulam Nabi Azad participating as the AICC observers. True to the Congress tradition, a one-line resolution authorising the party president Sonia Gandhi to select the new leader was passed unanimously at the meeting which barely lasted 20 minutes. Later, Mukharjee told reporters that the contents of the resolution would be conveyed to Sonia who would then take a decision on the new leader.

As political circles speculated over contenders for the coveted post, a beaming Kiran Kumar Reddy, 50, arrived at the state guest house where the AICC observers were put up.

He was closeted with the Central leaders for a few minutes after which Mukherjee made the much-awaited announcement.

Reddy, a four-time MLA from Chittoor district in Rayalaseema region, was elected as Assembly Speaker in June last year. He is considered a close follower of former Chief Minister Late YS Rajasekhar Reddy. A former Ranji cricketer, Reddy had represented Hyderabad team and was a contemporary of former captain Mohammed Azharuddin.

Earlier in the day, Rosaiah announced his resignation, saying he was unable to cope with the growing work pressure. The surprise move came a day after the septuagenarian leader’s visit to New Delhi to discuss with party high command the political fallout of the growing belligerence of rebel MP Jagan Mohan Reddy.

A staunch Sonia loyalist, Rosaiah reluctantly took over the reins of the state on September 3 last year following the death of YSR in a helicopter crash. Apparently, the script for his exit was prepared at Delhi yesterday based on an assessment that the ruling party needs a strong and assertive leadership in Andhra Pradesh to handle the twin challenges of rebellion by Jagan camp and political turbulence over Telangana statehood issue.

The decision on Rosaiah’s successor was guided by a combination of caste and political factors. It was widely believed that a leader from Reddy community, a traditional support base of the Congress, would be chosen for the top job. Moreover, almost 50 per cent of the 156 party MLAs in the state belong to Reddy community. With Telangana statehood agitation posing a big challenge to the ruling party, the high command has come round to the view that a strong leader with persuasive skills would be required at the helm. This is particularly important as Justice Srikrishna Committee on Telangana issue is scheduled to submit its report by the end of December.

Another key factor that prompted the party leadership to opt for a change of guard is the need to checkmate Jagan who has been making desperate bid to claim his father’s political legacy. Rosaiah’s resignation came close on the heels of a no-holds-barred attack launched by the media group owned by Jagan. “I am satisfied with my work during the last 14 months and I am grateful to Sonia Gandhi and all leaders and legislators of the party.

Even after my resignation, I will continue to work for the party,” Rosaiah said. The party sources said Rosaiah was likely to be sent as Governor of Karnataka or Madhya Pradesh in a week or two.