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With K Rosaiah stepping down as chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, insiders say that Kiran Kumar Reddy, Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh assembly, is the frontrunner for the post.
Rosaiah resigned ahead of the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Hyderabad on Wednesday, in the wake of the story aired on the television channel owned by party Member of Parliament Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy that was scathing in its assessment of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and party President Sonia Gandhi.
While rumours regarding the resignation of Rosaiah started doing rounds two weeks ago, three candidates were in the fray. While Kiran Kumar Reddy emerged as the strongest candidate, the names of state Tourism Minister Geeta Reddy and Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy, who is from the politically-sensitive and important Telangana region also cropped up.
Presently, the bigger headache for the Congress is the rebellion from the Jagan camp and hence the party top brass feel K K Reddy is the best option to take over as Andhra CM. One of the closest confidantes of late YS Rajashekhar Reddy, the former Andhra CM and the father of Jagan Mohan Reddy, K K Reddy hails from the Rayalseema belt which is a strong Congress bastion. Sources in the Jagan camp told rediff.com that he is acceptable to their leader and they would have no opposition if he made chief minister.
In addition to this, K K Reddy is an experienced leader since he has been elected five times to the assembly and is well-versed with the politics of the state. Moreover, he is a popular choice among most Congress MLAs and will be able to contain any sort of rebellion within the party, say insiders.
Geeta Reddy, the other candidate in the race, hails from the Telangana region and the Congress was initially thinking of giving her the coveted post so that they could silence the Telangana rebellion. However, after weighing the political dimensions in the state, they decided that it would be better to have K K Reddy at the helm of affairs since the party does not want to lose their vote bank in Rayalseema.
Moreover, the Congress has not done too well in the Telangana region. However, the party is not completely oblivious to the Telangana issue and may just appoint her as the deputy chief minister.
The name of Jaipal Reddy too was doing the rounds. But the Congress thought that he is not a mass leader and his appointment would only cause further problems since he is not in good terms with the Jagan faction.
Image: Kiran Kumar Reddy | Photograph: Snaps India