Putting to rest the rumours of launching a new party, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday said Congress MLAs and leaders from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions will discuss their "future" in two-day long "brainstorming" session to be held after January 23.
"Many of our MLAs and leaders are of the opinion that they have no political future in the Congress (after the proposed bifurcation of the state). When I went to East Godavari district recently, legislators and leaders there expressed their anguish. I told them we will sit for two days after January 23 and discuss our future," Kiran Kumar told reporters in an informal interaction after the Assembly was adjourned for the day on Saturday.
Asked about the talks of him floating a new political party, the Andhra Pradesh CM said: "There is nothing more to that. Anything beyond that is your imagination." Terming the issue as "not a simple subject to discuss just like that", he said "we have to discuss the pros and cons... have to deliberate with all. This is an issue concerning so many people."
About the possible defections of MLAs from Congress, he point out that at least 30 left the party since he became the Chief Minister (three years ago). "We can't help it. But I have no information about further defections," he said. Kiran also sought to make light of talk that he was acting according to the Congress high command's script in opposing the state's bifurcation.
"If that is the case, why would I differ with the CWC decision," he wondered. The Chief Minister, who quite often stressed in recent months that the state's division would not happen because of many factors, remained evasive when asked if he still believed the same. "I am not a forecaster. Lets see what happens," he said.
About reports that he might recommend dissolution of the state Assembly after January 23, the deadline set by the President for returning the draft AP Reorganisation Bill, the Chief Minister merely said "let's wait and see".
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