Kiran Reddy sworn in as new Andhra CM

Union Ministers and party observers M Veerappa Moily,Ghulam Nabi Azad,outgoing chief minister Rosaiah and a host of Congress leaders,MLAs and MLCs attended the brief swearing-in ceremony in the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan.

Only Kiran Kumar,a four-time MLA,took oath today and the Council of Ministers is expected to be reconstituted after he holds consultations with the Congress high command,party sources said.

The new chief minister is expected to leave for New Delhi later in the day 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 met Kiran Kumar at his Banjara Hills residence and congratulated him.

State Chief Secretary S V Prasad and Director General of Police K Aravinda Rao led the bureaucrats in greeting the new Chief Minister.

Rosaiah,77,had resigned yesterday in a surprise move in the midst of dissidence within the party and attacks on Sonia Gandhi and the Congress by media outlets owned by late chief minister Y S R Reddy’s son Jaganmohan. The move is also being seen as Congress’ political management ahead of the submission of the Srikrishna panel report on the Telengana issue by December 31.

Rosaiah,the stop-gap chief minister who took over in the aftermath of YSR’s death in September last year,had resigned citing personal reasons.

Kiran Reddy,who is from Rayalaseema region,was elected from Pileru constituency in Chittoor district.

What happened on Wednesday

In a move to set its house in order before the Srikrishna Committee submits its report on the contentious issue of statehood for Telangana,the Congress on Wednesday effected a change of leadership in Andhra Pradesh,replacing chief minister K Rosaiah with Assembly Speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy.

The change of leadership came even as the Congress grappled with the rebellion of former chief minister Y S R Reddy’s son Jaganmohan Reddy,whose Sakshi TV channel earlier this week aired an hour-long programme criticising Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Rosaiah,who had come to New Delhi on Tuesday,had been asked by the party high command to put in his papers. Congress sources said that a new leadership was favoured in view of the constant pressure tactics from Jaganmohan,who has been wanting to become chief minister since his father’s death.

The decision to appoint Kiran Kumar Reddy was taken after a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in Hyderbad,in which the CLP authorised the party high command to nominate the new CLP leader. The party’s main troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee,AICC in-charge of Andhra M Veerappa Moily and senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had gone to Hyderabad to ascertain the CLP’s views.

The Jaganmohan camp put up a show of belligerence as the senior Congress leaders arrived at the Assembly complex. “If they propose a name we do not endorse,we are going to show our dissent. Our strength is in our numbers and if necessary,we will show it at in the CLP,” said Kakinada City MLA D Chandrashekara Reddy.

However,the Jaganmohan camp did not protest much when Kiran Kumar’s name was proposed. Hailing from Chittoor district in Rayalaseema region,Kiran Kumar belongs to the same community as Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. He was loyal to YSR,but keeps his distance from Jaganmohan.

The CLP met for about 45 minutes after which the four senior Congress leaders accompanied by K Rosaiah read out two resolutions: one thanking K Rosaiah,the other requesting Sonia Gandhi to select the new leader of the CLP.

Before leaving for Delhi late in the night,Pranab Mukherjee announced that N Kiran Kumar Reddy would the 16th chief minister of Andhra Pradesh,and would take oath tomorrow afternoon.