Rebel trouble for Nallari Kiran

DESARAJU SURYA

Hyderabad: Ministers, MLAs and MLCs raised a virtual rebellion against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, protesting his unilateral style of functioning.

They lodged strong complaints against the Chief Minister to All India Congress Committee general secretary, in charge of AP affairs, Ghulam Nabi Azad during their interaction with the latter here in the last two days.

Azad was here to take stock of the party affairs in the state in the aftermath of the Congress’ humiliating defeat in the Kadapa and Pulivendula by-elections.

Almost all the ministers who had one-on-one interaction with the Union Minister, as well as legislators who met him individually and in groups, were highly critical of Kiran Kumar Reddy’s style of functioning which they said was only ruining the party.

“We made our displeasure against the Chief Minister known to our party in charge. We told Azad that Kiran was never taking anyone into confidence,” a senior minister said after another round of discussions with the AICC general secretary in the state Congress headquarters Gandhi Bhavan.

The hate campaign against Kiran Kumar was initiated by MLAs from his native Chittoor district. Former minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, former deputy speaker G Kutuhalamma and a couple of other legislators from Chittoor submitted a petition against Kiran to Azad.

They poured out their grouse against the Chief Minister and went to the extent of saying he was a "misfit" for the post.

Some ministers then took their turn and vent their “anguish” over the state of affairs in the government.

“By nature Kiran is a loner and hence doesn’t consult his colleagues on any issue. Besides, he has a ‘I-know-everything’ attitude that is making matters worse,” one senior minister reportedly complained.

Moreover, Kiran was a “poor strategist” and it became evident during the Kadapa by-election, he pointed out.

At a time when YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy was going all out in his attack against the government and when other opposition parties too were upping their ante on a wide range of issues, there was need for concerted action on part of the government and the party to get closer to people through a series of programmes. “Unfortunately, nothing of that sort is happening as a general impression gained ground that the administration in the state has become totally paralysed,” a couple of ministers reportedly told Azad.