A day after the controversy broke out over Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s alleged “unilateral” announcement of “Bangaru Talli” scheme for the girl child, more Ministers appear to be joining the ranks of those unhappy with his style of functioning.
Throwing enough hints that they will not lose the opportunity of embarrassing him, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha and Tourism Minister Vatti Vasant Kumar along with other two colleagues, D. L. Ravindra Reddy and K. Jana Reddy, met PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana apparently to chalk out a strategy.
Meeting at Botcha’s house
The meeting lasted for over an hour at the residence of Mr. Satyanarayana at Ministers’ Quarters but none of them was willing to share the details. Sources said the five Ministers, with each one of them having an axe to grind against the Chief Minister, mulled various options, including taking up the issue of “unilateral announcement” with the party high command. All of them nursed a grudge that they were not taken on board whenever important decisions were taken.
On Wednesday, Dr. Ravindra Reddy and Mr. Jana Reddy took exception to the way schemes were being announced without even discussing them with the Ministers concerned. Mr. Satyanarayana too feigned ignorance about “Bangaru Talli”, a stand on which he stuck on Thursday too when mediapersons met him. Going by their mood at the meeting, these Ministers seemed to be keen on holding the scheme as one that reflected the functioning of the Chief Minister.
Kiran’s camp turns active
For the record, Mr. Satyanarayana told reporters that there was no significance to Thursday’s meeting with the Ministers as one or the other kept calling on him frequently. Asked about Mr. Jana Reddy, he said he had met him on Wednesday evening too.
Sensing that the controversy was snowballing, the Chief Minister’s camp got into action to defend him. Medical Education Minister Kondru Murali tried to downplay the issue saying Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy had indeed discussed the scheme with the Ministers available in the city on that day. Every time a new scheme is launched one or the other Minister may not like it, he added.
