While many observers may have been surprised by the former Director General of Police V Dinesh Reddy's personal attack on the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, the Congress circles are, however, claiming that the recently-retired cop is planning to join the YSR Congress Party.
"That is why he has made allegations against the Chief Minister," a Congress leader Raghunandan Rao said.
The Congress leaders also see the ex-DGP's personal role in the city police not booking a case against YSR Congress Party President Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for taking out a rally from Chanchalguda central jail to his Lotus Pond residence on the day of his release from prison on bail.
They said that Dinesh Reddy was preparing the ground to join YSRCP and contest the next Lok Sabha elections.
The ruling party leaders have questioned why the former DGP was silent when he was in office and in fact he was elevated to the DGP's post by the Chief Minister, superseding several senior IPS officials.
Whatever may be the political ambitions of Dinesh Reddy, his fusillade against the Chief Minister and the tone and tenor of his outbursts have not gone down well with the people in general.
Barely a week after retirement and losing a legal battle for extension of his service, he made a sensational allegation that the Chief Minister had tried to influence him to make a statement against Telangana statehood cause.
He claimed that Kiran wanted him to issue a public statement, ahead of the July 30 announcement by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on formation of separate Telangana state, warning that the state’s division would lead to a spurt in Maoist activity.
By hurling sweeping charges against the Chief Minister, the former police boss has damaged not only the personal image and reputation of Kiran but also the dignity and prestige of the state police.
