Don’t split Andhra Pradesh for seats:?Kiran

Hyderabad: Firing another salvo at the Congress Central leadership, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said on Monday that the party can forge alliances with any other party for electoral gains but should not divide the state for the same, as it would harm people’s interest in the long run.

Interacting with the media on completing three years in his post, the Chief Minister said: “We can align with any party for political considerations but my argument is that the state shall not be divided for the same political benefits.”

His views coincided with the Opposition’s allegation that the Congress wanted to reap electoral benefits from the division.

The Chief Minister exuded confidence that the 2014 polls would be held in a united state and it would remain integrated after the polls too.

Next: CM will consider journalism

CM will consider journalism

Hyderabad: In a lighter vein, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy said that he might even consider changing his profession and media was one of the alternatives he would like to take up.

Dismissing reports of launching a new party, he wondered why the media tried to force others’ views on him. But he merely said “let us see” while replying to a question on what he would choose – party or an integrated state – when the time came to take what he described as the toughest decision that he wanted to avoid making.

The CM also avoided replying at what stage would he consider that the time was right to make the “tough” decision. He, however, indicated that he would take part in the debate on the Reorganisation Bill in Assembly in his capacity as CM.

On whether his speech in the Assembly would be of any significance, he said: “If views expressed in the Assembly are of no consequence why should any one be bothered with it? We will express our views and let the Centre proceed with its move.” He quickly added that it was not easy to ignore conventions and practices which were equally important as the Constitution.

At a time when PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana indicated that the Reorganisation Bill would be referred to the state Assembly in the first week of December, the CM exuded confidence that the 2014 polls would be held in a united state and it would remain integrated after the polls too.

“I think the state will have a 17th chief minister who will continue to rule a united state,” he said. Reddy, however, did not divulge his future plans and reiterated his wait-and-watch policy over the Centre’s moves on carving out Telangana state.

He also did not agree with the contention that he had ended up as a loner in the party by constantly targeting his potential rivals. “It (dealing with rivals in the party) is a political game and it should not be mixed with the special circumstances the state has been witnessing these past four years,” he said.