Feud to hit bypoll campaign
Congress leaders supporting health minister D.L. Ravindra Reddy until now appeared to part ways with him on Wednesday. They have sent out a clear message to the party cadre in Kadapa district by coming out in defence of Chief Minis-ter N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s selection of nominees for the Assembly seats going for bypolls.
The sulking minister said the CM did not consult any leader before finalising the candidates for the three Assembly constituencies. He added that he would not be campaigning for the party. “All the three constituencies are part of Rajampet Lok Sabha constituency, four constitu-encies are in Chittoor district, including the one held by the CM. Perhaps he believed that it was his prerogative to select candidates, which means he would take up the responsibility of ensuring the party's success in the three segments,” Dr Reddy said sarcastically.
These public comments by the senior minister, who has been making provocative statements against the CM’s functioning for a while now, has exposed the feud among the ruling party leaders in Kadapa. Minority welfare minister Syed Ahmadulla, Kamalapuram MLA G. Veera Siva Reddy and former Proddutur MLA N. Varadarajulu Reddy rushed to the Congress office on Wednesday afternoon and confronted the minister for his comments against the CM.
“If he is not interested in continuing in politics, it is better he quits the post and retires from active politics,” they said. “The CM had consulted all the leaders before finalising the names, it is incorrect to attribute ulterior motives to Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy,” they told newsmen. They added, “First, he lost his deposit in the byelection last year. Then, he was upset that the CM cut his portfolio. Now, he is unwilling to take up any responsibility. Instead of keeping quiet why is he talking now?”
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