The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Role reversal for friends turned political foes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 15, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Role reversal for friends turned political foes

By N. Rahul

HYDERABAD, MAY 14. The new Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and the would-be leader of the Opposition, N. Chandrababu Naidu, find themselves swapping positions following change of guard in the State.

Dr. Reddy as leader of the 90-member strong Congress Legislature Party assumed the mantle of the leader of the Opposition after the 1999 general election and it will be the same role that Mr. Naidu would be playing following the TDP's debacle in the Assembly elections.

Both leaders along with the former Minister, K.E. Krishnamurthy, were good friends when they began their political innings in the Congress in 1975. They played an active role in the Youth Congress and participated in many programmes. In the 1978 Assembly polls, Dr. Reddy was elected from Pulivendula and Mr. Naidu from Chandragiri. They continued to be office-bearers of the State Youth Congress even after becoming MLAs.

Dr. Reddy joined the Cabinet of T. Anjaiah as Minister of State for Health and Mr. Naidu as Minister of State for Cinematography.

The former was promoted to Cabinet rank by Bhavanam Venkatram but Mr. Naidu continued to be the Minister of State.

When the Chief Minister was changed for the fourth time during the Congress rule from 1978 to 1983 and the mantle fell on Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy, Dr. Reddy was made Education Minister and Mr. Naidu as Technical Education Minister.

Dr. Reddy and Mr. Naidu parted ways following the rout of the Congress by the TDP in 1983. Dr. Reddy was re-elected from Pulivendula and became PCC president at a young age. Mr. Naidu lost from Chandragiri and later joined the Telugu Desam Party founded by his father-in-law, N.T. Rama Rao.

As Mr. Naidu gained prominence in the TDP, differences between the leaders widened, so much so that they became bitter foes. Dr. Reddy was away from State politics as Cuddapah MP for a decade from 1989. When he returned as the leader of the Opposition in 1999, the rivalry between them showed up again.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh