AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi is learnt to have asked chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to fall in line and abide by the Centre’s decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.
According to sources, during the conference of the chief ministers of Congress-ruled States, held at the AICC War Room in Delhi on Friday, Kiran Reddy’s attempts to raise the issue of AP bifurcation did not materialise as Rahul Gandhi had not given any such opportunity as the meeting agenda was to chalk out strategies to strengthen the party across the country in the run-up to the 2014 polls.
However, Kiran Reddy held brief discussions with his party second-in-command during intervals and tried to present his argument against bifurcation.
According to sources, Rahul Gandhi told Kiran Reddy that he could not entertain any other idea at this juncture as the process of bifurcation is already in progress.
Rahul Gandhi is understood to have told Kiran Reddy that he had to abide by the party’s decision.
Dejected by the response, Kiran Reddy flew back to Hyderabad immediately after the meeting, which was concluded at 4 pm.
Though the AICC supremo Sonia Gandhi was supposed to address the meeting, she did not turn up.
According to sources, Kiran Reddy did not try to seek appointment with his party chief as he was not sure that his efforts to meet her would fructify.
Courtesy: The New Indian Express