Kiran to quit, float party

Biding his time as it is not clear if the T Bill has been tabled

The moment it is officially clarified, he will step down

MUHURTHAM SET

• As and when the Centre says it indeed tabled the T Bill, he will quit
• If he quits right now, it’ll signal that the Bill has been tabled
• He will also launch new party and kick off his campaign
• Hopes people will accept his staunch united AP stand
• 35 leaders including 7 ministers hold talks with him
• Erasu, Venkatesh expect him to resign on 19th or 20th

Hyderabad: Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy feels that he is in the last over of the T match and it is time to quit, float a new party and go round the State, explaining to people how he tried to keep the State united till last minute.

This decision was taken here on Sunday at the meeting the Chief Minister had with Seemandhra Ministers, MLAs and MLCs at his camp office. According to Ministers Erasu Pratap Reddy and T G Venkatesh, Kiran will resign either on February 19 or 20 once the Centre officially announces that the T bill has been introduced in Parliament.

Venkatesh said, "There it is still not clear whether the T Bill is really tabled in Parliament or not. Opposition parties including BJP are disputing with the Centre's claim. Hence, Kiran Reddy will quit his post only after the Centre categorically says that the Bill is introduced". He further said Kiran was of the opinion that if he resigned from his post at this juncture, it would lend credence to the argument of the Centre that it had tabled the T Bill. Speaking to media after the meeting, Ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao and others said that Kiran who had been saying that resignation was his last option now felt that the time to quit had come. They said they were of the opinion that Kiran would certainly launch a new party.

“There is every need to launch a party on Samaikyandhra plank,” Erasu said.

However, when asked if they would join the new party to be launched by Kiran, they evaded a direct reply. Pratap Reddy said, “we have invitations from some of the parties, but we will talk to our cadre and take a decision on which party we should join or whether we should contest as independent candidates. What is important is to have a cadre that can make us win.”

Another senior Congress leader J C Diwakar Reddy said launching a new party by Kiran would be of no use if the State was divided. “People will not trust them,” he felt. On the other hand, Kiran’s vacillating attitude seems to have left many a Seemandhra leader disappointed as only 35 leaders including seven ministers attended the meeting.

Prominent among those who attended the meeting were Pithani Satyanarayana, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy, S Vijayarama Raju and K Parthasarathi

Those who are considered to be loyal to Congress high command like PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana, Dokka Manikya Vara Prasada Rao, several ministers and MLAs, gave it a miss. Ministers such as Kanna Lakshminarayana, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, N Raghuveera Reddy and P Bala Raju also did not attend the brainstorming session. However, Kiran's camp said it had not informed all these leaders about the meeting.

It is learnt that Kiran during the three-hour-long meeting had one-on-one meeting with every leaders instead of a joint meeting and elicited their views on his resignation and the new party.

Interestingly, TDP MLA Payyavula Keshav also called on the Chief Minister and held confabulations with him separately on challenging the T Bill in the Supreme Court. However, a little later Pithani gave a different version. He said though the issue of resignation was discussed no decision had been taken by Kiran. “He is yet to reveal his mind. In all probability, he may give greater clarity on the issue on Monday,” he added.