Kiran - Jaipal ‘War’ Exposes Fissures In Congress

Congress leaders from Mahbubnagar district in Andhra Pradesh have decided to boycott Union minister S Jaipal Reddy’s programmes in the district, complaining that the events were being organised without involving local minister D K Aruna and other party leaders. With N Uttam Kumar Reddy, minister-in-charge of the district, also not attending the events, Congress insiders say the developments are a result of a cold war between chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s camp and Jaipal and his supporters. 
    
The Union minister for science and technology is scheduled to lay foundation stones for a rural water supply scheme and a lift irrigation scheme in Kalwakurthy on Sunday. Apart from Jaipal Reddy, panchayat raj minister K Jana Reddy and major irrigation minister P Sudershan Reddy would also participate. What ruffled some feathers is the fact that these programmes, along with other developmental works in the district, had been reserved for inauguration by the chief minister. Upon a request from local leaders when he recently visited Mahbubnagar, Kiran Kumar had promised to come back within a fortnight and inaugurate the schemes. But Jaipal seems to have beaten him to it. 
    
“We are not against Jaipal Reddy’s visit. But the fact is that when these programmes were finalised, no leader from the district was consulted or involved. While Jaipal represents Rangareddy district, Jana Reddy and Sudarshan Reddy are from other districts. That’s why our district leaders are feeling hurt,” D K Aruna, minister for information and public relations, told TOI. According to her, the episode has given the impression of factions within the party. “We achieved some semblance of unity in the district Congress with great difficulty. Efforts must be made to keep it intact rather than ruin it.” she added. 
   
Other district leaders too voiced their unhappiness, with Shadnagar MLA Ch Pratap Reddy saying he would go by whatever DK Aruna decides. “Ignoring the lone minister from the district is not fair. Even though I got an invitation over phone from Jana’s office, I will go by the decision of D K Aruna,” he said. 
    
Another leader who is unhappy is former minister J Chittaranjan, who represented Kalwakurthy assembly constituency twice in the past. Chittaranajan, who is also the convener of PCC’s BC cell, said Jaipal’s arrival would sow seeds of divisions in the party. “What did Jaipal Reddy do for the constituency which he had represented four times from 1968 to 1984 and also when he was union urban development minister? All of a sudden, he remembers his own village,” he scoffed, adding that he too was boycotting the events. He said that the two state ministers had pre-empted the chief minister by inviting Jaipal without informing district Congress leaders. “Is it fair for a union minister to lay the foundation stone for events reserved for the chief minister,” he asked. 
    
Meanwhile, DCC president Obaidulla Kotwal was in two minds about attending the programme. Saying that he would discuss the issue with the district minister, Kotwal said the party has not been involved in the organisation of the union minister’s visit.