Tough times for new Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh

DESARAJU SURYA

Hyderabad: Barely five days into his office, cricketer-turned-Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy finds himself on a sticky wicket.

The “doosra” bowled by rebel Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy today caught Kiran off-guard, though he hasn’t lost his wicket yet.

Kiran’s stay at the crease doesn’t appear to be an easy task, now that Jagan’s followers are ready to bowl more googlies and bouncers at him.

Congress sources indicated that at least 28 MLAs have solidly pledged their support to Jagan and offered to resign while another seven to eight are also keen to follow suit.

For the record, however, Jagan appealed to Congress MLAs not to quit their posts “for me.”

“Wherever you are, your love and affection are enough for me. Please do not resign from your posts for me,” Jagan appealed in the open letter he addressed to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

In reality, however, Jagan is all set to split the Congress and dislodge the Kiran Kumar Reddy government, his campers aver.

“Wait for two more days and see what happens,” said a first-time MLA and Jagan loyalist, who interestingly camped in New Delhi in the last three days lobbying for a Cabinet berth.

The Jagan camp claims at least four members of Lok Sabha, 36 MLAs and half-a-dozen members of Legislative Council are now behind Jagan. “Four to five MLAs from Praja Rajyam Party will also join hands with us soon,” the rebel leader’s campers claim.

Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, upon his return from New Delhi, discussed the fallout of Jagan’s resignation with several former ministers and MLAs at the Lake View Guest House. Anxiety was writ large on the legislators’ face as they discussed Jagan’s resignation.

“If the Jagan group’s claim of having the support of 35-36 MLAs is true, Kiran’s government will certainly be in soup. The numbers will not add up even if the Praja Rajyam Party (18 MLAs) and the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (seven MLAs) support the government. In the event, the 11-member Telangana Rashtra Samiti’s support becomes inevitable,” a former minister and senior MLA analysed.

The TRS will support the Congress only if statehood is granted for Telangana. This is unlikely in the prevailing circumstances.

It is still unclear if the four MPs, including Union Minister of State A Sai Pratap (Rajampet), Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy (Nellore), Undavalli Arunkumar (Rajahmundry) and Sabbam Hari (Anakapalle), who are sworn loyalists of Jagan, too will step down in solidarity with him. Jagan campers maintain that there was “no need” for the MPs to resign.