It was a telephone call from AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad that made Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy to seek the resignation letters of Home Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy and Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao.
Contrary to the belief in party circles that the high command had given a free hand to the Chief Minister to take a decision on the Ministers facing criminal charges, it was other way round. Mr. Azad is said to have called him on Saturday asking him to take letters of resignation from the Ministers in tune with party’s policy not to continue with those facing criminal cases.
According to highly placed sources, Mr. Reddy gave a detailed account of his 45-minute long meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to the two Ministers when they met him on Sunday night.
Mr. Reddy explained how he had batted for their continuation on the ground that they had not deviated from business rules while issuing the controversial GOs in assets case against Jagan. “I have perused the note files and no where is their role visible,” he reportedly told them.
The Chief Minister was asked to meet Ms. Gandhi for another round of discussion in the company of Mr. Azad. To his surprise, he was informed that Mr. Azad alone would meet her. After the meeting, Mr. Reddy was told to return to Hyderabad and await further instructions.
Ministers sore
Accordingly, Mr. Azad, before leaving for Geneva, asked him to accept the resignation letters of the two Ministers. The Ministers, are sore that the party did not accept their resignations when they offered to step down. Now, they have been shown in poor light as if they were forced to resign.
