Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy, a YSR loyalist, was on Thursday sworn-in as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, capping hectic political developments that saw the exit of K. Rosaiah from the post as the Congress prepared to face challenging times ahead in the state.
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy only to 50-year-old Kiran Kumar Reddy, hitherto Speaker, who was chosen late on Wednesday night as the leader of Congress Legislature Party in place of Mr Rosaiah.
The 77-year-old Congress veteran had made a surprise exit from the post on Wednesday in the midst of rebellion by late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s son Jaganmohan Reddy. Mr Jaganmohan Reddy’s media outlets had launched attacks on Sonia Gandhi and the party that had raised the hackles of the high command.
The move is also being seen as Congress’ political management ahead of the submission of the Srikrishna panel report on the issue of Telangana by December 31.
Union ministers and party observers M. Veerappa Moily, Ghulam Nabi Azad and a host of Congress leaders, MLAs and MLCs attended the brief swearing-in ceremony in the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan.
With Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, a four-time MLA, alone taking, the Council of Ministers is expected to be reconstituted after he holds consultations with the Congress high command, party sources said. The new CM is expected to leave for New Delhi later on Thursday to call on AICC president Sonia Gandhi, who chose him for the job after being authorised by the CLP.
He would also meet other top leaders of the AICC in New Delhi, party sources said.
Earlier in the day, former ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and several Congress leaders also met Mr Reddy and congratulated him. State chief secretary S.V. Prasad and director-general of police K. Aravinda Rao led the bureaucrats in greeting the new CM. —PTI