Former minister Gade Venkata Reddy on Saturday criticised the call by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to Congress MLAs supporting Kadapa leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy to resign and contest again under the former MP’s banner as ‘wrong’ and a ‘mistake’.
Speaking to media persons at the CLP media point on Assembly premises, the former Endowments Minister said that Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy should have left the decision of action to be taken against the dissidents MLAs to the Congress Disciplinary Committee, the Pradesh Congress Committee and the party High Command. He said that the Chief Minister has acted in ‘haste’ by calling for the MLAs to quit from their posts.
Mr Venkata Reddy further added that the MLAs had not resigned from the Congress party but were only siding with Mr Jaganmohan Reddy since he was raising legitimate issues regarding the people.
To take offense against their overt support to the former MP was not advisable, Mr Venkata Reddy opined.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy had earlier in the day lashed out the MLAs supporting Mr Jaganmohan Reddy and criticised them for switching sides to desert the ruling party, before media persons in New Delhi. He said that the Legislators, having been elected in 2009 on Congress tickets, were now supporting the Kadapa MP.
The Chief Minister had also challenged these MLAs to resign first before hurling any comments against the Congress party which supported their candidature.
Reacting sharply against those MLAs who sided with the rebel leader and former MP, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy had also made it clear that the MLAs under reference were elected on the Congress ticket and symbol and they had no right to speak particularly after switching sides. They should resign their seats before making any comments, the Chief Minster had said.
Referring to the Racha Banda programme which is to be launched across the state, Mr Venkata Reddy said that the programme was envisaged by former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and was dedicated to the people.
Mr Venkata Reddy’s comments are seen by political observers as an expression of his displeasure at being left out of the State Cabinet after Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy took charge.
The criticism of the Chief Minister by such a senior leader also points to the fact that the Congress is virtually split on supporting the son of the former chief minister who has been largely credited of bringing the party to power in two successive elections.