Former Congress leader and last chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh N Kiran Kumar Reddy joined the BJP on Friday, lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and slamming the leadership of the opposition party.
Reddy joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and hit out at the Congress leadership for its inability to accept people’s verdict and make course correction.
They believe they are correct and all others, including the people of India, are wrong, he said. “I had never imagined that I’ll have to leave Congress…There is a saying- ‘My king is very intelligent, he doesn’t think on his own, doesn’t listens to anyone’s advice’, “said former Congress leader Kiran Kumar Reddy on joining BJP in Delhi.
They want authority to control but don’t want to work hard or take any responsibility, said the four-time former MLA, who had quit the Congress last month.
Citing his family’s over six-decade-long association with the Congress, Reddy said he never imagined he will leave the party.
The Congress is getting damaged in all states and its high command does not interact with others or take their opinion, he said.
Reddy contrasted the rise of the BJP with the decline of the Congress since 1984 and lauded the ruling party’s leaders led by Modi for their hardwork and commitment towards the nation.
They have clarity of thought and consistency, and taking courageous decision is the hallmark of the government, he said.
Reddy also lauded Modi’s commitment to fighting corruption.
Reddy, who served as the last Chief Minister for undivided Andhra Pradesh, joined BJP in the presence of union minister Prahlad Joshi, general secretary Arun Singh and MP K Laxman at a function organized at the party headquarter.
Earlier on March 13, 2023, Reddy sent a letter to the Congress’ national president Mallikarjun Kharge.
“Please accept this letter as my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress,” he wrote in a letter.
Reddy became Andhra Pradesh’s chief minister on November 11, 2010, but resigned on March 10, 2014, to protest against the Congress party’s decision to bifurcate the state.
Notably, he even made the assembly pass a resolution opposing the central government’s draft bill on the bifurcation of the state.
The former CM had resigned from the Congress party in 2014 too, to protest against the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh and carve out Telangana.