Kiran Kumar Reddy comes under attack from parties over bifurcation issue

HYDERABAD: A day after he batted aggressively for a united Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy came under attack from the Opposition as well as his own Cabinet colleagues and Congress leaders with TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao even demanding his dismissal.

"The Congress high command should take a serious note of Kiran Kumar's rebellion and dismiss him forthwith. Telangana should be created immediately even by imposing President's rule in the state," Chandrasekhar Rao demanded here today.

Making a strong pitch yet again for keeping Andhra Pradesh united, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy last night categorically asked the union government not to go ahead with the (proposed) bifurcation without addressing people's concern over issues like water-sharing, employment, education and Hyderabad, among others.

He also demanded that the Centre constitute a second States Reorganisation Commission, as committed by the Congress party in 2004, to divide AP, if at all.

Kiran also said he was ready to sacrifice his post for the sake of a united state and claimed he would continue to remain in the Congress in any event.

Senior minister K Jana Reddy found fault with Kiran's suggestion that the Congress CWC should "reconsider" its July 30 decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

"The same Kiran Kumar Reddy said time and again that he would abide by whatever decision the Congress high command took. It's regrettable that the Chief Minister is now defying the high command," Jana Reddy told reporters here this evening.