Former Andhra CM Kiran Kumar Reddy returns to Congress

Four years after leaving his party, the last Chief Minister of the united Andhra Pradesh, Kiran Kumar Reddy returned to the Congress fold on Friday.

Expressing his happiness on returning to the Congress, Reddy said he cannot be separated from the party because whatever identity he has got was because of the Congress.

Opposing bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Reddy had resigned from his post and the party in March 2014. A month later, in March 2014, he had floated his own party “Jai Samaikyandhra Party” to oppose the bifurcation and to unite Andhra Pradesh. He however, failed to garner support for his goal.

Before he rejoined the Congress formally, Reddy met the party president Rahul Gandhi in the morning. Later, addressing media at the Congress headquarters, Reddy said, “In present circumstances I feel that Rahul’s hand must be strengthened. Unless a Congress government comes back in Delhi, justice will not be done to the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.”

“Implementation of the Reorganisation Act, special status, special incentives— all this will be possible only if the Congress comes back to power. The present Indian government, the state government and the opposition parties have failed miserably to implement the Reorganisation Act,” he added.

Former Kerala chief minister and AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, Oommen Chandy, APCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy and AICC communication in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala were also present at the time of his joining.

Welcoming Reddy’s return to the party, Chandy said, “When he was the chief minister, he did many good things for the state, especially for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He did a lot of things for the development of Andhra Pradesh.”

Later, briefing reporters, Surjewala said the Congress was committed to get Andhra Pradesh special status. Asked if the Congress would support a no-confidence motion against the government over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, he said the decision will be taken by the Congress Parliamentary party.