The Congress party which had witnessed large scale exodus of its senior leaders into various other parties including the Telugu Desam Party, YSR Congress party, Bharatiya Janata Party and even Jana Sena Party ever since it had taken a decision to divide the combined state of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, has now started witnessing re-entry of its leaders.
On Friday, former chief minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy formally joined the Congress party in New Delhi in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi.
Perhaps he is the first leader to join the Congress party, which has been in a beleaguered state for the last four years.
The party hopes to rope in more leaders who had deserted it in the past and have not been associated with any other party since then.
It is definitely a good sign for the party which is desperate to retain its identity in Andhra Pradesh, if not dreaming of coming to power again.
With the Congress president openly announcing that he would grant special category status to AP, if he is voted to power at the Centre in 2019, the party hopes to win at least half a dozen MLA seats to be in the reckoning in the state political arena.
Now, the question is why Kiran has taken a decision to re-join the Congress party.
Analysts say Kiran has no option before him, if he wants to continue in politics. Being still a young leader and having held the position of the chief minister, Kiran does not want to fade out of politics so early.
Whether somebody agrees or not, he has done some good work as the chief minister, including introduction of SC/ST sub-plan, and people still remember him.
But he needs a political platform to stage a comeback. There were reports that Kiran might join the Bharatiya Janata Party but by nature, he is against the saffron party.
There was also a talk that he might consider Jana Sena Party, but having held the position of a CM, he might be a misfit there.
He could have joined the YSR Congress party, but Jagan won’t accept him because the latter feels it was Kiran who stalled his chances of becoming the chief minister in 2012.
When he sent his brother Nallari Kishore Kumar Reddy into the TDP, there was a talk that he might also follow the suit, but that is also not possible because Kiran would not like to under Naidu, whom he used to criticise harshly when he was the chief whip.
So, the only place where he can be treated with some respect and have some dignity is the Congress party.
He knows he might not get any big position or post in any party and at least in the Congress party, he might get some elevation in the party post.
Since he is still young compared to others, he thinks he would definitely have a bright future in the Congress, say analysts.
