I have the power: Kiran Reddy

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy divesting civil supplies minister D. Sridhar Babu of the legislative affairs portfolio, is snowballing into a major controversy with ministers from the Telangana region deciding to take up the issue with the Congress high command.

The Chief Minister, however, asserted on Wednesday that it is his prerogative to change portfolios of his ministerial colleagues to facilitate better administration, and as such he does not owe an explanation to anybody in this regard.

Sridhar Babu had initially decided to resign from his post, but was prevented from doing so by ministerial colleagues who advised him to consult the party high command first. “I am very pained over the decision. I decided to quit the post. I will soon consult with party bosses in Delhi and get back to you,” he told newspersons on Wednesday. He also said that he wasn’t going to take up his new assignment as commercial taxes minister.

Sridhar Babu met the Governor on Wednesday along with ministers from the Telangana region and later held a meeting at panchayati raj minister K. Jana Reddy’s residence.

It was after these discussions that Jana Reddy announced that they would take the matter up with the Congress high command to rein in the CM.

T leaders complain to Governor against CM

C.R. Gowri Shanker I DC
 

Hyderabad: Angry T-protagonists met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to lodge a complaint against Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy who divested D. Sridhar Babu of the portfolio of legislative affair. Many read this as an attempt at creating obstacles in the smooth passage of Telangana Bill.

The Chief Minister has allotted the portfolio to the minister for primary education, S. Shailajanath. The change of portfolio is also seen as an attempt at bringing in a Samaiky-andhra resolution. The residents of Karimnagar, the native district of Sridhar Babu, observed a protest bandh on new year’s day.

Cutting across the party lines, Telangana leaders from the Congress, TRS and Telugu Desam strongly rebuked Kiran Kumar Reddy for this sudden move. They voiced their objection to the change of portfolio in the Assembly.

Etala Rajender, the TRS floor leader in the Assembly, accused the Chief Minister of beha-ving like as “street rowdy”?and urged the Congress High Command to sack the Chief Minister immediately. He said that Telangana ministers and MLAs should meet the Governor and submit a letter withdrawing support to the Chief Minister.

Senior TD leader and MLA Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy described the Chief Minister’s action as an insult to the august Assembly.

Reassuring the people about the status of the bill, he said, “The cricket match is over; only the awards function is left. Whether the House discusses Telangana Bill or not, the bill has to be sent to the President after January 23 and it will be deemed to have been discussed.”

He added, “The change of portfolio at this juncture is malafide and unacceptable.”

Led by the minister for panchayat raj and rural water supply, K. Jana Reddy, a few Telangana Congress ministers and leaders, march-ed to the Governor to lodge a complaint against the Chief Minister’s decision. Jana Reddy said, “We are not questioning the power, but condemn the manner in which the portfolio has been divested on the eve of assembly session: Temperatures are likely to rise in the Assembly sessions.