Andhra ministers meet amid dissidence

Amid reports of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy facing growing dissidence within the cabinet, meetings continued among the ministers.

State Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy and Revenue Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy Monday called on state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana, who is also minister for transport.

Both Anam and Raghuveera are seen as loyalists of Kiran Reddy. Their meeting assumed significance in the light of the dissidents calling on Botsa two days ago and the central leadership of the Congress party reportedly summoning the chief minister to Delhi.

Raghuveera told reporters that there was no political significance to the meeting. He also clarified that the ministers were not unhappy with the chief minister.

Earlier, Health Minister D.L. Ravindra Reddy, a vociferous critic of the chief minister, called on Raghuveera Reddy.

Ravindra Reddy had first raised his voice against "unilateral decisions" of the chief minister when the latter last week announced 'Bangaru Talli', a scheme to protect the girl child.

Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, Minister of Panchayat Raj K. Jana Reddy and Minister of Tourism Vatti Vasanth Kumar had called on Botsa Friday and decided to complain to the Congress high command about the chief minister's style of functioning. They found fault with him in announcing a scheme without discussing it in the cabinet.

Kiran Reddy postponed his three-day visit to Anantapur district, scheduled from Monday, after he received summons from the central leadership. He is likely to leave for Delhi later Monday or Tuesday.

The chief minister's loyalists, however, claimed that Kiran Reddy's visit to Delhi was "routine".

Primary Education Minister S. Sailajanath said reports that the Congress leadership was planning to replace Kiran Reddy were just "rumours".