Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy might have hurled a bouncer at Civil Supplies Minister D Sridhar Babu by stripping him of the Legislative Affairs portfolio so that the latter would duck at it, but analysts say it would be nothing but a “no-ball.”
According to sources in New Delhi, the Congress high command has become alert with the latest development and it might hit back at Kiran very strongly.
Though it is the prerogative of the Chief Minister to allot or divest portfolios of his ministers, the timing of his action against Sridhar Babu just two days before the re-commencement of the Assembly session has not only came as a surprise but triggered controversy and evoked vehement criticism from Telangana protagonists, who termed the move as undemocratic and sinister.
Apparently, the high command has asked the Governor E S L Narasimhan not to entertain any file pertaining to change of portfolio of Sridhar Babu and the latter also declared that he would not take charge of the Commercial Taxes Ministry.
Apparently, Sridhar Babu complained to the Governor against the Chief Minister’s deliberate and sinister action.
The Governor told the media that he had not seen any file relating to the change of portfolio of the minister.
Watch out for more twists and turns in the Telangana episode in the next couple of days!
