For the last one month, Kiran Kumar Reddy has been chief minister of Andhra Pradesh only in name. Governance of the state, never spectacular under him in any case, has been left Ram Bharose and Reddy has been sulking over his party high command's decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.
Unlike a typical Congressman, he has shown he has a spine and has been taking potshots at his leadership, telling them without mincing words, that they have committed a blunder. From all indications, he will do all it takes to put enough hurdles in the path to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.
Seemandhra ministers in the Andhra Pradesh cabinet say all of them, including the CM, believe elections in 2014 will take place in a united Andhra Pradesh. And they hope if they are able to convince their voters that they managed to stall the creation of a Telangana state, people will vote for them.
The Telangana group does not think so. Former PCC chief D Srinivas says Telangana state will be a reality before the year is out. He, along with Deputy CM Damodar Rajanarasimha and Panchayat Raj minister Jana Reddy is hopeful of becoming the first CM of Telangana state.
The Telangana lobby would also have everyone believe that after Reddy's outburst against the Congress decision, the riot act was read out to him. But the dressing down has had only the effect of him not going public with his opinion.
Privately, sources say, Kiran has only taken a strategic timeout and he is in no way chastened enough to give in without a fight.
When he first hit out, Reddy became a hero overnight in Seemandhra, particularly since people had not credited him with such fighting abilities. But unless he is able to effectively stall it, the CM is unlikely to win any brownie points politically.
Reddy has emerged as the voice of Seemandhra because the original Leader of the Opposition casts himself more as the CM-in-waiting. Chandrababu Naidu, he of the two eyed theory fame - has been talking more about getting a good deal for Seemandhra, when the mood in the two regions is still that of simmering anger against the division. At such a time, Naidu's philosophy of moving on and bargaining for funds to create a new state is not going down with the people one bit.
Naidu has procrastinated long enough on the Telangana issue. He was always-and still is-seen as someone opposed to division of Andhra Pradesh and his stock plummeted in Telangana as a result. When the Congress announced its decision on July 30, he was left on the fence, not knowing what to do. His decision to ask his MPs to stall Parliament was a purposeless exercise, because his constituency back home was least impressed. And now his decision to go on a bus yatra from Sunday is unlikely to cool tempers in a region where people say they are distraught at the thought of losing out on Hyderabad.
Not to say Naidu has no admirers in Seemandhra. The people who favour lobbying for funds and constructing a new capital, think his administrative abilities will come in handy.
In contrast, Jaganmohan Reddy has played his cards more smartly. The moment he realised Telangana was happening, he cut his losses and decided to concentrate on the 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. His mother went on an indefinite fast first, followed by him from inside Hyderabad central prison, an act that has endeared him to the people in the regions. Make no mistake, the elections next year across Andhra Pradesh are going to be fought on the sole plank of where each leader stands on the issue of division of Andhra Pradesh. Those who continue to dilly-dally are likely to face the wrath of the people.
The Congress leaders in Seemandhra are the worst affected. They realise their party affliliation is now a huge liability and in the present situation, it will be a contest between YSRC and TDP in Seemandhra. Their personal political future looks bleak unless they jump ship, either to the YSR Congress or the TDP. A school of thought now emerging is to float a new party that will consist of Congress leaders who would dare to defy the party leadership by walking out. The question is who will first bell the cat.
In Telangana, the Congress is sitting pretty, in comparison. But its leaders realise that the euphoria would reduce by the time of elections and the ROI (return on investment of announcing Telangana) would be low unless the state becomes a reality. They are also wary of how the 'settler' population (people from other regions settled in Telangana, particularly Hyderabad) would vote during the elections. The Seemandhra lobby believes those from other regions can decide the winner in at least 25 assembly constituencies.
Andhra Pradesh - whether as one state or two states - promises the most interesting election in 2014. It will be one state where Narendra Modi will not be a critical factor. It will be an election where people will vote on the decision taken on the evening of July 30.
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/andhra-pradesh-has-a-new-leader-of-opposition---kiran-kumar-reddy/1/304690.html
Unlike a typical Congressman, he has shown he has a spine and has been taking potshots at his leadership, telling them without mincing words, that they have committed a blunder. From all indications, he will do all it takes to put enough hurdles in the path to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.
Seemandhra ministers in the Andhra Pradesh cabinet say all of them, including the CM, believe elections in 2014 will take place in a united Andhra Pradesh. And they hope if they are able to convince their voters that they managed to stall the creation of a Telangana state, people will vote for them.
The Telangana group does not think so. Former PCC chief D Srinivas says Telangana state will be a reality before the year is out. He, along with Deputy CM Damodar Rajanarasimha and Panchayat Raj minister Jana Reddy is hopeful of becoming the first CM of Telangana state.
The Telangana lobby would also have everyone believe that after Reddy's outburst against the Congress decision, the riot act was read out to him. But the dressing down has had only the effect of him not going public with his opinion.
Privately, sources say, Kiran has only taken a strategic timeout and he is in no way chastened enough to give in without a fight.
When he first hit out, Reddy became a hero overnight in Seemandhra, particularly since people had not credited him with such fighting abilities. But unless he is able to effectively stall it, the CM is unlikely to win any brownie points politically.
Reddy has emerged as the voice of Seemandhra because the original Leader of the Opposition casts himself more as the CM-in-waiting. Chandrababu Naidu, he of the two eyed theory fame - has been talking more about getting a good deal for Seemandhra, when the mood in the two regions is still that of simmering anger against the division. At such a time, Naidu's philosophy of moving on and bargaining for funds to create a new state is not going down with the people one bit.
Naidu has procrastinated long enough on the Telangana issue. He was always-and still is-seen as someone opposed to division of Andhra Pradesh and his stock plummeted in Telangana as a result. When the Congress announced its decision on July 30, he was left on the fence, not knowing what to do. His decision to ask his MPs to stall Parliament was a purposeless exercise, because his constituency back home was least impressed. And now his decision to go on a bus yatra from Sunday is unlikely to cool tempers in a region where people say they are distraught at the thought of losing out on Hyderabad.
Not to say Naidu has no admirers in Seemandhra. The people who favour lobbying for funds and constructing a new capital, think his administrative abilities will come in handy.
In contrast, Jaganmohan Reddy has played his cards more smartly. The moment he realised Telangana was happening, he cut his losses and decided to concentrate on the 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. His mother went on an indefinite fast first, followed by him from inside Hyderabad central prison, an act that has endeared him to the people in the regions. Make no mistake, the elections next year across Andhra Pradesh are going to be fought on the sole plank of where each leader stands on the issue of division of Andhra Pradesh. Those who continue to dilly-dally are likely to face the wrath of the people.
The Congress leaders in Seemandhra are the worst affected. They realise their party affliliation is now a huge liability and in the present situation, it will be a contest between YSRC and TDP in Seemandhra. Their personal political future looks bleak unless they jump ship, either to the YSR Congress or the TDP. A school of thought now emerging is to float a new party that will consist of Congress leaders who would dare to defy the party leadership by walking out. The question is who will first bell the cat.
In Telangana, the Congress is sitting pretty, in comparison. But its leaders realise that the euphoria would reduce by the time of elections and the ROI (return on investment of announcing Telangana) would be low unless the state becomes a reality. They are also wary of how the 'settler' population (people from other regions settled in Telangana, particularly Hyderabad) would vote during the elections. The Seemandhra lobby believes those from other regions can decide the winner in at least 25 assembly constituencies.
Andhra Pradesh - whether as one state or two states - promises the most interesting election in 2014. It will be one state where Narendra Modi will not be a critical factor. It will be an election where people will vote on the decision taken on the evening of July 30.
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/andhra-pradesh-has-a-new-leader-of-opposition---kiran-kumar-reddy/1/304690.html
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