Hyderabad, November 12: Notwithstanding Mr K. Rosaiah’s continuance as Chief Minister of the State as of now, undercurrents of a successor war between Reddy and non-Reddy sections was glaringly visible in the ruling Congress much to the chagrin of the party High Command.
Speculations about an imminent change of guard in the State seems to be the genesis for triggering off the successor war in the ruling party here despite AICC leaders subtly rubbishing reports about replacing Mr Rosaiah in the wake of the changes effected in the neighbouring Maharashtra State.
The Congress High Command was forced to act in Maharashtra in showing the door to Chief Minister, Mr Ashok Chavan, following the Adarsh Housing scam in Mumbai. There was no such compelling reasons for the High Command to put Mr Rosaiah’s head on the chopping block though the Opposition parties and some vested interests within the ruling party have been trying to use his age-factor as a spanner in the wheel ( administration).
Though some State Congress leaders have been silently moving the pawns with an eye on the CM’s post for quite some time, a website report seems to have fuelled the ambitions of various sections in the party to enter the fray for the coveted post. The sudden spurt in parleys with their supporters and followers by the Union Minister, Mr S. Jaipal Reddy, the Assembly Speaker, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, and other leaders like Mr J.C. Diwakar Reddy, Mr D.L. Ravindra Reddy, Mr K. Jana Reddy and so on making it clear about their being in the race, seem to have rattled the non-Reddy sections like the Kammas, Velamas, Kapus and other BC sections.
Thus, the non-Reddy sections in the State Congress embarked on a fire fighting mission to checkmate the efforts of the Reddy leaders by pleading that there was no need for replacing Mr Rosaiah. Non-Reddy leaders like Mr V. Hanumantha Rao, Dr K. Keshava Rao and others strongly came in support of Mr Rosaiah continuing as Chief Minister. What is more, some leaders from the Opposition parties too, especially those coming from the Telangana region, have also come in strong support of Mr Rosaiah’s continuance.
The late YSR’s son and Kadapa MP, Mr Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy seems to be yet another factor for the non-Reddy sections to favour continuance of Mr Rosaiah. The Jagan phobia has been haunting these sections, especially those belonging to the Telangana region, as the young MP was being considered a thorn in the flesh for some of them waiting in the wings for taking the reins as Chief Minister.
As a matter of fact, the loyalists of Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy, against whom disciplinary action for anti-party activities have been initiated, have suddenly launched a vitriolic attack on the State Congress leadership as well as the High Command. The massive turnout and support received by Mr Jagan during his Odarupu Yatra seems to have come as a shot in the arm for these suspended leaders to openly and daringly take on the party bosses.
Though the High Command is sore with Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy for defying its diktat, one cannot ignore the fact that the Kadapa MP was definitely a force to reckon with what with the sympathy factor working in his favour among the masses. This is yet another factor that is making the non-Reddy sections to come in support of Mr Rosaiah as a known devil is better than an unknown angel!
——–NSS