Kiran to hold strategy meet today on launch of new party

Hints at launching new party only after holding more consultations

Last Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (United) N. Kiran Kumar Reddy who resigned on Wednesday. Photo: Mohammed Yousuf

Amid talk of dwindling support and close aides looking at other political parties for their future, former Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy is holding a crucial closed door meeting with expelled Congress MPs in the here on Sunday to discuss about launch of the new party.

Initially it was billed as a crucial meeting where Mr. Reddy was expected to announce his future political plans and chalk out future course of action. But, now he has restricted the meeting to the expelled MPs and those who have resigned from the party. A few former Ministers considered close to him are said to be invited to attend the meeting at a private building in Madhapur.

Sources said no significant announcement is expected from Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy as he hinted that more consultations were needed before any formally announcement about the launch of the new political party is made. “Mr. Reddy will take the views of his supporters more particularly, the MPs, who have been backing him all through his struggle against bifurcation of the State,” a close aide told

The Hindu on Saturday.

Numbers

His meeting assumes significance for the fact that it would give a clear indication on number of former Ministers, MPs and legislators sailing with him.

Though, his camp has been claiming that over a dozen Ministers and as many as 50 MLAs would join his new party, situation appears to be the other way round.

Former Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who has been sailing with him, has dropped hints that he would join the TDP along with at least five Congress MLAs.

So is the case with former Ministers –Erasu Pratap Reddy, T.G.Venkatesh and K. Parthasarathy who have quit the Congress but are not coming out openly whether they would join hand with Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy. A number of MLAs, who were seen with him on the day of the resignation have not come back again. Against this background, it is understood that he may not make any announcement about the new party. As of now former Minister Pithani Satyanarayana has come out openly in his support and said he would join the new party.

Diwakar to resign

Former Minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy, while launching a scathing attack on AICC president Sonia Gandhi for dividing the State against the wishes of Seemandhra people, said he would resign from the party immediately. He was non-committal whether he would join Mr. Reddy’s party.