Former Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh N. Kiran Kumar Reddy had a busy schedule on Saturday at Valmikipuram and Kalikiri mandals, calling on the elderly and sick followers known to his family since long, followed by a night stay at his native village Nagaripalle.
Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy arrived at Valmikipuram mandal headquarters from Bengaluru and had hearty moments with his followers. He visited some of their houses, including a couple of patients. He spent much time enquiring about their well-being, agriculture pattern, crop losses, rain situation and studies of their children. Though several of them kept asking him about his “political decision,” Mr. Reddy chose to remain silent, smiling at them.
His followers from Valmikipuram, Kalakada, Madanapalle, Kalikiri, Gurramkonda, and Piler mandals thronged Valmikipuram to speak to him.
However, Mr. Reddy closeted himself with some followers, who played active role as cadres of the Jai Samaikyandhra Party (JSP) floated by Mr. Reddy in the 2014 elections.
In this context, his close aides observed that Mr. Reddy might arrive at a “political” decision in September.
“There is something deep in his [Mr. Reddy’s] heart. We know him since childhood and we believe that he will never take any hasty decision,” a close follower observed.
In the 2014 elections, there was widespread expectation that Mr. Reddy would contest from Piler Assembly constituency as JSP candidate. But in the last minute, he chose to field his younger brother N. Kishore Kumar Reddy, who lost to the YSRC.
From the last quarter of 2014, there had been rumours that the Reddy brothers would join the BJP. The latest rumour doing the rounds was that they were inclined towards the TDP.
Though Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy paid a visit to Chittoor district a number of times since 2014, he invariably remained silent on political issues, and even maintained a low-profile, keeping away from any political glare or fanfare.
In any case, representing the dominant Reddy community, the brothers are undoubtedly a force to reckon with in the district, more so in the western mandals.
