What has Kiran up his sleeve after Jan. 23?

HYDERABAD, ANDHRA PRADESH, 02-01-2014 Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy addressing to the media to announce 27% interim relief to Government employees and pensioners at Camp Office in Hyderabad on Thursday. PHOTO: K_RAMESH BABU

With the debate on AP Reorganisation Bill 2013 firmly on track, legislators of various political parties are discussing the future plans of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who may be left high and dry once the initiative passes on to the Centre.

In the normal course, the debate on the bifurcation Bill has to conclude on January 23 and sent back to the President for further action.

The Chief Minister has amply indicated that he intends to seek extension for a few more days to allow the MLAs to discuss the Bill clause by clause and demand voting. It won’t be a surprise if his request is granted by the President.

But, nothing is going to change because of the additional time. Going by available indications, Parliament will hold a minimum of 10 sittings beginning from the second week of February to adopt the vote-on-account budget and clear the pending bills, including the anti-graft bills.

The bifurcation Bill is not on the agenda for good reason. Unless the Bill, after discussion/voting is sent back to the President, the Cabinet cannot include it in the parliamentary agenda.

This is why Congress leaders are speaking in general terms that the Bill will be passed before the Lok Sabha elections though Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath declined to go on record that the Bill would be introduced.

The immediate task of Mr. Kiran Reddy would be to get the vote -on-account budget passed either in the current session of the Assembly or at a later date. But, the big question is: will he wait that long. Once the Bill is placed on the fast track mode by the AICC, he may chart out his own course. His options include launching a new party, which is as good as stepping down from the top post and severing ties with the Congress.

New party rumours make the rounds

Mr. Reddy himself has denied such a move claiming himself to a loyal Congress man. Nevertheless, his aides claim that he would float a party with Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal playing a key role.

There is talk that the new party’s flag, posters and few lakhs of T-shirts have been printed ahead of the grand launch.

After January 23, not only the Chief Minister but several Seemandhra leaders would have to articulated publicly their future plans because the election schedule would be announced in four to five weeks from then.