A rebel against another rebel that seems to be the Congress’ strategy to counter former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Kiran Kumar Reddy who is planning a tell-all book to “expose the Gandhi family”. The Congress is planning to counter him through its another rebel Jagan Reddy, who now heads the YSR Congress. Party sources said that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Andhra in June end where he is scheduled to meet families of farmers who have committed suicide and most of whom migrated to other places in search of livelihood.
Sources said efforts are underway to see if Rahul and Jagan could be brought together to give the much-needed push to the Congress’ fortunes in Andhra Pradesh and at the same time counter any damage that Kiran Reddy’s book can inflict. “If the two parties join hands, they can become a formidable force in the State similar to that during the reign of former AP CM (late) Y Rajashekar Reddy,” sources said.
Jagan had fallen out with the party high command after he was denied to take over as CM after the sudden demise of YSR. It was Kiran Reddy who then was put at the helm leading to Jagan’s revolt and quitting the party. Interestingly, Kiran Reddy quit the Congress over bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and he too floated his own party Jai Samaikyanahdra.
“It is too early because in near future there are no elections. But that is not a bad idea if party workers are murmuring on this subject (Rahul-Jagan). As of now we have information only about his visit to meet effected farmers,” said an AICC functionary requesting anonymity. Rahul is first scheduled to visit Anantapur district to console the families of farmers.
Earlier last month the Gandhi scion undertook padayatra in Adilabad district of Telangana for the same cause and he was successful in highlighting the plight of farmers in the TRS-ruled state. The Congress and TRS had allied during the bifurcation of the state but later TSR parted ways with Congress reducing the party in its own stronghold.
Once a Gandhi loyalist who was hand-picked despite a stiff resistance by Jagan, Kiran Kumar Reddy has now “threatened” to expose the Gandhi family by revealing the “real story” pertaining to division of the state.
Jagan’s relations with Congress deteriorated after the demise of his father YSR. He started his political career in 2004 and campaigned extensively for the party in 2004 Assembly elections and later went on to become a Member of Parliament in 2009. He had taken up padyatra to console the families of people who died after hearing the shocking news of YSR’s death which however did not go well with the Congress high command. later he resigned from party and even as MP. He was alleged to have involved in corruption cases and served jail for many months.