Not in race for chief minister’s post, says Jaipal Reddy
November 24th, 2010 - 8:47 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi/Hyderabad, Nov 24 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and Union Minister for Urban Development S. Jaipal Reddy Wednesday said he was not in the race for the Andhra Pradesh chief minister’s post after K. Rosaiah resigned on health grounds.
After meeting Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, he told reporters that their meeting had nothing to do with the political developments in Andhra Pradesh.
“I was never in the race and I am not in the race now,” he said.
Jaipal Reddy met Mukherjee before the latter left for Hyderabad along with three other central leaders of the party to attend the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) emergency meeting as central observers.
Jaipal Reddy, along with state assembly speaker N. Kirankumar Reddy and state minister J. Geeta Reddy, are said to be among the frontrunners for the post of Andhra Pradesh chief minister following the resignation of Rosaiah earlier in the day.
Congress party sources have not ruled out that the legislators may authorise party president Sonia Gandhi to name the new leader in the state. Pranab Mukherjee, A.K. Antony, Veerappa Moily and Ghulam Nabi Azad will be attending the CLP meet as central observers.
Jaipal Reddy, a senior leader with his vast experience as a central minister, hails from Telangana.
State Minister for Information and Public Relations Geeta Reddy also comes from Telangana. The party is likely to choose someone from the region to counter the movement for separate statehood to Telangana.
The Srikrishna Committee, appointed by the centre to look into the demands for and against separate Telangana state, is scheduled to submit its report next month.
Kirankumar Reddy is also being seen as a frontrunner. The assembly speaker comes from Rayalaseema region and was considered a strong loyalist of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
Union Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju and former state ministers K. Jana Reddy and M. Sashidhar Reddy, who is also the son of former chief minister M. Chenna Reddy, are among the dark horses. The two legislators also come from Telangana while Raju is from coastal Andhra.
- Jaipal, Kirankumar Reddy in race for chief minister's post - Nov 24, 2010
- Rosaiah resigns, Congress goes into huddle to elect new leader (Second Lead) - Nov 24, 2010
- Telangana: Congress steps up consultations, rules out president's rule - Oct 09, 2011
- Kiran Reddy to be sworn in as Andhra Chief Minister today - Nov 25, 2010
- Sonia authorised to name Rosaiah's successor - Nov 24, 2010
- Will follow Sonia's decision on Telangana: Andhra Congress - Jun 11, 2011
- One day, three chief ministers, different tales - Nov 24, 2010
- Rosaiah sworn in as Tamil Nadu governor - Aug 31, 2011
- Kiran Kumar sworn in Andhra Pradesh chief minister (Lead) - Nov 25, 2010
- Deputy chief minister will be from Telangana - Nov 25, 2010
- Rosaiah quits, Kiran Kumar Reddy named successor (Night Lead) - Nov 25, 2010
- Pressure on Jaipal Reddy, others to quit (Lead) - Jul 05, 2011
- Andhra Pradesh CM Rosaiah resigns - Nov 24, 2010
- Kiran Kumar to take over as Andhra chief minister Thursday - Nov 25, 2010
- Kiran Kumar Reddy is 16th chief minister of Andhra Pradesh (Second Lead) - Nov 25, 2010
Tags: andhra pradesh chief, assembly speaker, central leaders, chief minister, congress leader, congress legislature party, congress party, finance minister, frontrunners, geeta, ghulam nabi azad, health grounds, jaipal reddy, party president, pranab mukherjee, sonia gandhi, state minister, state ministers, union minister, veerappa