Open rebellion: Andhra CM Kiran Reddy stays away from AICC meet

Supporters of Kiran Kumar Reddy say that since the Congress has made it clear that the Telangana issue will not be raised at the AICC meet there is no point in the chief minister attending. Vicky Nanjappa reports

By staying away from Friday’s All India Congress Committee meeting in New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has openly revolted against the party. Although publicly Reddy has said he won’t be attending the AICC meet due to the ongoing assembly session, in reality he wants to express his displeasure.

Reddy’s supporters say that since the Congress has made it clear that the Telangana issue will not be raised there is no point in the chief minister attending the AICC meet.

Kiran Reddy feels that all issues should be allowed to be raised at the AICC meeting.

There were clear orders that nobody would be able to question the decision of the Congress Working Committee that took a major decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

Also, the Congress has been very clear about its intention on Telangana.

Anyone who has raised the Telangana issue strongly has been kept away. The six MP’s who had moved a no confidence motion against the Union government were denied passes for the AICC meet.

For Kiran Reddy it was better to stay away. He has been under pressure to oppose the Telangana formation. Had he gone to Delhi, he would have been forced to raise the issue which could have led to a major showdown.

However, several Congress leaders from Rayalseema are attending the AICC meet.

Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh, Subbirami Reddy, who is sharing the dais with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was also told to instruct the rest of the leaders not to speak anything on the Telangana issue.