Though the close aides of the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy have been planting stories in the media for some time now about his plans to float a new party, the indications on the ground do not point towards such a possibility.
Why should Kiran, who is opposed to the bifurcation of the state, launch a political party at this juncture?
If his idea is to fight for keeping the state united, floating a new party will serve that purpose because the constitutional process for dividing Andhra Pradesh has already started and it clearly appears irreversible now.
And, if for some reasons the state remains united till the next general elections, there is no use in floating a party exclusively to fight for Samaikyandhra cause. In fact, in such an eventuality, Kiran might as well project himself as the champion of the united Andhra Pradesh cause and claim that it was he who was responsible for stalling the bifurcation of the state.
Either way, Kiran’s party will not serve any new objectives. However, some of the Seemandhra Ministers who are close to him have been circulating the word in the Assembly lobbies that Kiran would announce his plans on or after January 23, the deadline set by the President Pranab Mukherjee to return the draft Telangana bill along with the views of the Assembly.
