Jagan's party won't affect Cong in AP: Kiran Reddy

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on Tuesday said former Congress member of Parliament Jaganmohan Reddy's decision of floating a new political party will not affect the Congress in the state.

"Many people left the Congress in the past. It will not affect the party in the state," he told mediapersons in New Delhi, hours after Jagan announced that he would float a new political party in the next 45 days.

However, Reddy, who met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and discussed the latest political developments in the state, parried questions on who will be the deputy chief minister.

When asked who will be the deputy chief minister, Reddy said, "Appropriate decision will be taken at appropriate time."

Reddy, who succeeded K Rosaiah as chief minister of AP last month, and Gandhi are understood to have decided on the nominees for the posts of deputy chief minister and Tamil Nadu assembly Speaker.

Senior leader J Geetha Reddy's name tops the list of probables for the deputy chief minister's post. This is seen as part of Congress' Telangana package ahead of the report.

This is the AP CM's first meeting with Gandhi after he constituted his cabinet last week, which triggered rebellion with some of his colleagues resigning over allocation of portfolios. The matter was sorted out after the high command's intervention.

Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel was also present during the 45-minute meeting that is also understood to have touched upon governance issues in the state. Ways to sort out the rebellion in the state unit are also understood to have been discussed in the meet, sources said.

Prior to his meeting with Gandhi, Reddy held consultations with Patel. He also met Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily later.