Sridhar Babu episode snowballs

Kiran says it’s his prerogative; Minister likely to quit today

1. Sources say move aimed at introducing United Andhra resolution
2. Sridhar Babu, along with senior ministers, call on Guv
3. They send a written complaint to high command

Hyderabad: The decision of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to change the portfolio of Minister for Legislative Affairs D Sridhar Babu is snowballing into a major controversy.

Sridhar Babu, who is upset by the change in his portfolio, is understood to have decided to resign from the Cabinet in protest against Kiran Reddy's attitude towards him. According to sources, Sridhar Babu divulged his intention of quitting his post to some of his colleagues from Telangana when he met them at the residence of Panchayat Raj Minister K Jana Reddy, here on Wednesday. Sridhar Babu is likely to call on the Chief Minister and put in his papers on Thursday.

The Chief Minister asserted that there was no malafide intention behind making the change in his council of ministers. Kiran said it was his prerogative and he had not violated any rule. The main reason behind divesting Sridhar Babu of the legislative affairs was because he wanted to utilise the services of the Minister in revenue generation which had shown a downward trend by 9.5 per cent and hence he had been given him a very important department of commercial taxes. But this argument did not cut any ice with the T ministers. Sridhar Babu had a meeting with Minister for Panchayat Raj K Jana Reddy in the morning and later they, along with Ministers Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Sunita Laxma Reddy and P Sudhershan Reddy, met Governor ESL Narsimhan and lodged strong protest over the Chief Minister’s action.

They said though change in portfolio was the prerogative of the Chief Minister, the timing was not correct. Divesting Sridhar Babu of the portfolio two days ahead of the Assembly session gave an indication that the Chief Minister was indulging in vindictive attitude.

Jana Reddy said Sridhar Babu had done no wrong nor did he violate any procedure to invite the wrath of the Chief Minister. “It appears that by having another minister Kiran Reddy feels that the process of T state can be stalled. He should know that no force can stop creation of separate state. The Bill has to go back to President after January 23 whether the Assembly discusses it or not.”

They had sent a written complaint to the party high command on the “high handed” behavior of the Chief Minister.

Sridhar Babu said, "I am a responsible Congress worker. Change of my portfolio is unfortunate. I will not accept the new portfolio, whether it is small or big." Former PCC president D Srinivas and Union Minister of Science and Technology S Jaipal Reddy and several MPs such as V Hanumantha Rao deplored the Chief Minister’s decision. Some feel that this was a move to introduce Samaikyandhra resolution in the Assembly before taking up debate on the T-Bill in the House. Kiran might have felt that it was not be possible to introduce such a Bill if Sridhar Babu was the legislative affairs minister, T leaders add.

However, Seemandhra Ministers say that if Kiran really wants to move a resolution in support of united Andhra, he being the leader of the House can do so and no one can stop him. For that he need not change the Minister. It could have been due to the manner in which Sridhar Babu along with the Deputy Speaker rushed ahead with the tabling of the draft T Bill when the Chief Minister was not in the House. Some ministers from Seemandhra region felt that Kiran had given clear indication that he was now set to launch his own party after his spirited speech in the Assembly on January 23. Some leaders are dismissing all these theories and say that Kiran had taken the decision after consulting the party high command.

They said, "When we closely observe the series of happenings on the T-front, right from keeping the Assembly in session while T-Bill was being referred to the State, everything seems to be going on as per a script," a senior Congress leader said.