Too many odds stared at Kiran Reddy govt in 2011

Hyderabad, Dec 22: 2011 was a hectic year for Kiran Kumar Reddy as the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister was caught up with political firefighting to deal with the Telangana issue, the rebellion triggered in the Congress by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and the hostilities fomented by some of his colleagues.

Jagan, who launched his YSR Congress in April, however, no longer poses a threat to the government, as he was cut to size more by the CBI rather than the Congress as such. When he walked out of the Congress towards the end of 2010, Jagan had at least 30 Congress MLAs, two each of TDP and PRP and five MPs on his side.

By the end of 2011, the count fell to 18 MLAs and two MPs, excluding him and his mother Y S Vijaya. Jagan's stock started dipping after the CBI and the ED launched investigations into the manner in which he amassed huge wealth by allegedly misusing the position of his late father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who ruled the state from May 2004 to September 2009.

Nevertheless, Jagan managed to give a scare to Kiran Kumar early December when he made 16 Congress MLAs vote against the government on a no-confidence motion moved by the TDP. The Praja Rajyam Party and the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, with 17 and 7 members respectively, saved the day for Kumar.

Incidentally, the predictions made towards the end of 2010 came true with actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi merged his PRP with Congress and playing the saviour (of the government). Of course, the state's political saga of 2011, much like in 2010, revolved predominantly around Telangana.

PTI