Former Andhra Pradesh CM Kiran Kumar Reddy quits Congress, likely to join BJP?
Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister veteran Congress leader Kiran Kumar Reddy has resigned from the party and is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to reports.
According to a March 11 letter—the last chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh before Telangana was carved out in 2014—addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Reddy has asked for resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress.
Earlier in 2014, Kiran Kumar Reddy had resigned from the Congress to protest the UPA-II’s decision of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh and carve out Telangana. The former CM had formed his own political party, Jai Samaikyandhra Party and fielded candidates in some constituencies in the 2014 elections. However, with no electoral gains, Reddy stayed aloof from politics for a long time and rejoined the Congress in 2018.
In a sharp reaction to Reddy’s resignation, Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore said those who got everything from the party and finished the Andhra Pradesh Congress are now leaving for greener pastures at the BJP.
Reports quoting sources within the BJP have speculated that former Andhra Pradesh CM is likely to join the BJP’s Telangana unit.
Reddy had reportedly maintained a distance from Congress scion Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and has been on the outs with the party for a long time.
Pundits say that Reddy could play a vital role in this year’s Telangana elections as he has good ties with several top leaders of Telangana from his time as the chief minster of Andhra Pradesh. Reddy’s deep insight into Telangana politics could play a key role in BJP’s poll campaign in the state.
Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Telangana in December this year, and Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay, in an earlier statement, said that the saffron party will not form any alliances in the state and contest solo in the polo.
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