Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy, the last Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh, has reportedly decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Reddy served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 2010 to 2014 and was the last Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh before the creation of Telangana state in 2014.
Before entering politics, Kiran Kumar Reddy was a cricketer who played for Andhra Pradesh in the 1980s. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm off-break bowler. He played in the Ranji Trophy for Andhra Pradesh for three seasons from 1983-1986. In the 1983-84 season, he scored 188 runs and took 10 wickets. In the following season, he scored 216 runs and took 12 wickets. He played his last match in 1986 against Hyderabad.
Political Career of Kiran Kumar Reddy
Kiran Kumar Reddy was born on September 13, 1959, in Andhra Pradesh. He entered politics in 1980 and was elected the MLA from the Pileru constituency for the first time in 1989. He served as a minister in the cabinets of Marri Chenna Reddy, N. Janardhana Reddy, and Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. In 2010, Reddy was elected as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
Kiran Kumar Reddy’s political journey started in 1989 when he contested the Assembly elections from the Vayalpadu constituency and won as an independent candidate. Later, he joined the Indian National Congress (INC) and was re-elected as an MLA from the same constituency in 1999 and 2004. In the 2009 elections, he contested from the Pileru constituency and won by a margin of 30,000 votes.
In 2010, when Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, died in a helicopter crash, the Congress party elected Kiran Kumar Reddy as the Chief Minister of the state. During his tenure as Chief Minister, he faced various challenges, including the Telangana statehood movement. He opposed the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and resigned from Congress in protest against the division of the state in 2014.
After his resignation, Kiran Kumar Reddy stayed away from politics for many years. However, he returned to active politics in 2023 and joined the BJP.
Kiran Kumar Reddy’s Opposition to the Bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh
Kiran Kumar Reddy was an ardent opponent of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, which led to the formation of Telangana state in 2014. He even resigned from the Congress party in protest against the bifurcation decision. He subsequently formed his own party, Jai Samaikyandhra Party (JSP), to oppose the bifurcation. However, his party failed to win seats in the 2014 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.
Kiran Kumar Reddy’s Re-entry into Congress and Subsequent Resignation
In 2018, Kiran Kumar Reddy re-joined the Congress party after a gap of four years. However, on March 12, 2023, he resigned from Congress again. He reportedly disagreed with the party leadership’s decision to support the bifurcation of Uttar Pradesh and create a separate state of Purvanchal.
Kiran Kumar Reddy’s Joining the BJP
According to media reports, Kiran Kumar Reddy has decided to join the BJP. The news of his resignation from Congress and his reported move to the BJP has caused a stir in Andhra Pradesh politics.
Kiran Kumar Reddy, born on 13 September 1959, is an Indian politician who served as the 16th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh between 25 November 2010 and 1 March 2014. He was the last Chief Minister of the United Andhra Pradesh before the formation of Telangana state on 2 June 2014. In this article, we will take a look at Reddy’s political career, his exit from Congress, and his recent entry into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
After exiting the Congress party for the second time, Kiran Kumar Reddy joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 7th April 2023. He said that he was impressed with the BJP’s commitment to the country’s development, and criticized the Congress party’s leadership for not doing enough for the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Kiran Kumar Reddy’s decision to join BJP is considered to be a significant move in Andhra Pradesh politics. His political experience and leadership skills are expected to be an asset for the BJP in the state. His joining BJP is also seen as a setback for the Congress party, which has been struggling to regain its lost ground in Andhra Pradesh.
Early Political Career
Kiran Kumar Reddy started his political career in the early 1980s as a member of the Youth Congress. He was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1989, 1994, and 1999. During this time, he held several important positions in the state government, including Minister for Revenue, Stamps & Registration, and Minister for Panchayati Raj.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
Reddy was sworn in as the 16th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on 25 November 2010, following the resignation of his predecessor K. Rosaiah. During his tenure, he faced several challenges, including the bifurcation of the state into Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Reddy was strongly opposed to the bifurcation and even resigned from the Congress party over the issue.
Kiran Kumar Reddy was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. During his tenure, he oversaw several key policies and initiatives, including the implementation of the Rajiv Aarogyasri Community Health Insurance Scheme, which provided free medical treatment to the poor and marginalized communities in the state. He also introduced reforms in the power and education sectors, which helped improve access to basic services for the people of Andhra Pradesh.
Exit from Congress
Reddy exited the Congress party twice in a decade. He first left the party in 2014, just before the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, and formed his own party – Jai Samaikyandhra Party. However, the party failed to make a significant impact in the state elections. In March 2023, he resigned from the Congress party again, citing a “lack of faith in the leadership”.
