New Delhi/Hyderabad, January 14: Is Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on the way out to pave way for a senior Telangana leader to take reigns of the state and thus checkmate the demand for a separate Telangana State ?,
Speculation to this effect was triggered off in political circles after reports emanated from New Delhi about the Congress High Command seriously considering on these lines following a suggestion made by the Union Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee in this regard.
After a meeting with the Telangana Congress MPs in New Delhi on Wednesday, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, the Congress Party’s main trouble- shooter, is understood to have told the AICC President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi about the imperative need for appointing a senior leader from Telangana in place of Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy forthwith as an immediate “political solution” to the vexatious separate Telangana State problem. Mrs. Gandhi is understood to have concurred with this idea, which might help buy more time and enable the sensitive and emotional issue to peter off steadily.
As if to give credence to these speculations, the Chief Minister had an unscheduled meeting with the Governor Mr. E. S. L. Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad this morning. Though the CMO office claimed that it was only a courtesy meeting and political significance need not be attached to it, the political developments in the state seem to have figured in the discussions.
The Governor is also understood to have enquired from the Chief Minister about the number of legislators extending support to Mr. Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. He also wanted to know the impact on the Government in the wake of the defiant posture being adopted by the Telangana Congress MPs and MLAs.
Meanwhile the Congress High Command reportedly began a vigorous hunt for a suitable Telangana leader to take over from Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy as Chief Minister before the ensuing budget session scheduled sometime during February. Four names making rounds in political circles as a possible new Chief Minister of the state are that of Union Minister Mr. S. Jaipal Reddy, former Sate Minister Mr. K. Jana Reddy, Minister of Industries in the state Dr. J. Geetha Reddy and Mr. N. Uttham Kumar Reddy, who represented the Congress Party at the all-party meet convened by the Union Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram on January 6. Both Mr. Jaipal Reddy and Mr. Jana Reddy are understood to be reluctant to shoulder the responsibility at this volatile juncture, as they may have to face the wrath of the separatists. Whether Dr. Geetha Reddy or Mr. Uttham Kumar Reddy would be ready to occupy the rickety and thorny Chief Minister’s gaddi is a big question.
The Congress High Command is also learnt to be toying with the idea of accommodating two MPs from the Telangana region in the Union Cabinet whenever the Prime Minister ventures to reshuffle and expand his ministry just before the budget session. Speculations were also rife that in the event of Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy being replaced, he would be made the new President of the State Congress in place of the present incumbent Mr. D. Srinivas, who is already on an extended lease. There seems to be also a move to appoint a Deputy Chief Minister from the Andhra region.
Whatever the permutations and combinations that were being worked out by the Congress High Command to water down the Telangana issue on the basis of the recommendations of the Justice Sri Krishna Committee, Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy, if replaced, would go down in the history as per cricketing parlance the “Night Watchman” of the State. (NSS).