21 June,2010 08:33 AM IST | | B V Shiva Shankar
Sources say Rosaiah gave Bangalore trip a miss fearing another rebellion by the Reddy brothers. Rosaiah was to meet CM Yeddyurappa, apart from other programmes including his felicitation organised by his fellow Arya Vaisya Samaja
This has got some tongues wagging. The Andhra Chief Minister, K Rosaiah cancelled his Bangalore visit on Sunday, allegedly only to avert a possible second bout of political revolt led by the Reddy brothers in the state, revealed sources in the BJP.
According to his itinerary, Rosaiah was to meet Chief Minister Yeddyurappa in the city, apart from other programmes including his felicitation organised by his fellow Arya Vaisya Samaja.
The official reason given for postponing Rosaiah's visit was his bad health. However, the Andhra CM was his usual self yesterday, attending meetings and scheduled programmes in Hyderabad.
All is not well?
"We were told Rosaiah was not well," said Tallam Srinivasamurthy, treasurer, K Rosaiah Felicitation Committee. "But we received a communication from the Andhra CM's office saying his visit was postponed for exigencies. The next date of his visit was not mentioned."
A source in Andhra CM's office in Hyderabad, said, "The CM didn't want to see Yeddyurappa in trouble again by meeting him.
And at the same time, it would not be nice to come back without meeting him, hence he chose to drop the programme for the time being."
Play safe
Following the two counterparts' meeting in October last year, the Andhra Pradesh government had ordered a probe against the alleged irregularities in the mining businesses owned by the Reddy brothers (Janardana and Karunakara), who are also ministers in the state cabinet.
u00a0
This was amid dissident activities spearheaded by them against the Yeddyurappa government.
u00a0
The revolt reached its crescendo with the Reddys taking BJP MLAs to a hotel in Hyderabad, holding the state government for ransom.
"Yeddyurappa feared a last year's repetition, and wanted to avoid meeting Rosaiah," said a senior leader in the BJP. "Rosaiah got the hint and obliged," he added.
When the associations including Karntaka Telugu Academy and Arya Vaisya Samaja were preparing for yesterday's programmes, they received a communication from Andhra Pradesh chief minister's office saying that Rosaiah's Bangalore visit was indefinitely postponed for unavoidable reasons, on June 18.
It's all rubbish
Rubbishing the speculations, K S Eswarappa, president, state BJP said, " There is no politics in this.
u00a0
If Rosaiah is not well or he postponed his visit for any reasons, it is, but normal. I don't understand why his no-show should be translated to anything else."
| The Reddys |
| The Reddy brothers Janardhana is tourism minister, elder Karunakara holds the revenue portfolio and the third sibling Somashekara is a legislator. The brothers, along with B Sriramulu (a close associate) played a crucial role in first helping the BJP garner 110 seats, and later by playing a key role in securing the support of the six independent MLAs to help Yeddyurappa realise his dream of headingu00a0u00a0 first BJP government in state. |
