Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is keeping his cards close to his chest as far his future political moves are concerned. When some of his Seemandhra colleagues tried to get some clarity on the possibility of floating a new political party to cash in on the Samaikyandhra sentiment, Reddy chose not to let out anything.
According to sources, when Seemandhra Congress MPs Ananata Venkatarami Reddy, Vundavalli Arun Kumar, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and GV Harha Kumar met the chief minister here on Monday, Kiran Reddy did not show much interest in divulging his future political plans.
When these MPs reportedly tried to discuss the possibility of floating a new party, the chief minister only asked them to exercise restraint till Jan 23, the deadline set by President Pranab Mukherjee to complete the discussion on the T-Bill.
Earlier too, the chief minister maintained silence on the issue when some ministers from Seemandhra met him to know his mind soon after his return from Delhi after participating in the conference of the CMs of Congress-ruled states.
“Kiran Reddy is still keeping us guessing. When we asked him what Rahul Gandhi had told him on the issue of bifurcation, a smile was the only answer from the CM,” a senior minister said.
Some close aides of Kiran Reddy say his image as Samaikyandhra champion has taken a beating in the wake of his absence in the Assembly on the crucial day when the T-Bill was tabled in the House. Hence, Kiran Reddy is now wary of his earlier plan to launch a new party.
However, some Congress leaders from Seemandhra are still considering Kiran Reddy as their only hope to launch a new party.
Particularly, rebel MPs such as Lagadapati Rajagopal, Vundavalli Arun Kumar and Harsha Kumar, who see no future for them in the Congress, are eagerly waiting for the Kiran’s new party.