Kiran Kumar Reddy, Last CM Of Undivided Andhra Pradesh, Quits Congress
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has resigned from the Congress.
Dealing a big blow to the Congress, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday resigned from the party. Reddy was the last CM of undivided Andhra Pradesh. According to various media reports, he is likely to be given a key post at the national level by the BJP.
In a one-line letter of resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Reddy wrote: "Please accept this letter as my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress."
Kiran Kumar Reddy, who had opposed the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, quit the Congress in 2014 and formed the Samaikya Andhra Party. But could not win a single seat. Later, he again joined the Congress, but was not much active in the state's politics. Reddy is currently in Hyderabad.
Reddy could play an important role in the Telangana polls scheduled for December this year. According to Telugu Samayam, Reddy has good relations with many leaders of Telangana as he had served as the CM of the undivided Andhra Pradesh. His deep understanding of Telangana politics could prove to be a big weapon for the BJP which is going solo in the elections.
Earlier this month, Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay made it clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will have no alliance with any party in the state.
N Amarnath Reddy, Kiran Kumar Reddy's father, was an elected member of the legislative assembly (MLA) from Vayalpadu constituency in Annamayya district for three consecutive terms. Similarly, Kiran Reddy also won three elections from the same constituency in 1989, 1999, and 2004.'
Later in 2009, he contested and won from the Pileru constituency. Kiran Reddy served as the Congress party's chief whip in the assembly from 2004 to 2009, following which he was elected as the assembly speaker during the tenure of YS Rajasekhar Reddy. After the demise of YS Rajasekhar Reddy, Kiran Reddy became the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, succeeding K Rosaiah.
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