HYDERABAD: Kiran Kumar Reddy was sworn in as 16th Chief Minister of the state by Governor E S L Narasimhan at a simple ceremony on the lawns of Raja Bhavan.
He was chosen late last night as the leader of Congress Legislature Party in place of K. Rosaiah who resigned from the Chief Minister’s post yesterday.
Union Ministers and party observers M Veerappa Moily, Ghulam Nabi Azad, outgoing Chief Minister Rosaiah and a host of Congress leaders, MLAs and MLCs attended the brief swearing-in ceremony in the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan. Kiran Kumar, a four-time MLA, took oath today and the Council of Ministers is expected to be reconstituted after he holds consultations with the Congress high command. The new Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy said he is confident of over coming the challenges before him.
Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad after taking oath, the Chief Minister said his government would accord top priority to Health and Education. He said, all shortcomings in the implementation of welfare programmes will be rectified through transparency. Listing out his priorities, Kiran Kumar Reddy made it clear that he will act firm in maintaining law and order in the state.
Chief Minister said that new systems would be evolved for better operation of welfare programmes. He listed out the priorities of his new Government. Though his cabinet is yet to take shape, he accorded priority for better implementation of welfare schemes. Underlining the need for clear changes in the approach, he said new systems to plug in loopholes would be evolved through transparency.
Stating that he would work together with every one, the new Chief Minister has sent a signal against group politics in the party. He clearly stated that any violation of law and order would be tackled firm as he would strive to develop Hyderabad and the state as a friendly and peaceful destination for investments. He further said all the agitations and disputes would be resolved through dialogue. However, he said the present policy on Maoists would continue as the problem of left-wing extremism was not confined to the state.
In swift developments taken place yesterday, N Kiran Kumar Reddy take over as Chief Minister and succeeded K Rosaiah who relinquished the post citing age and work pressure. Though Rosaiah announced his decision to quite the office yesterday, he had reportedly taken approval to do so from the party high command a day before when he visited Delhi. The change of guard took place when the state has been facing challenges including agitations for statehood for Telangana and Kadapa Parliament Member Jaganmohan Reddy who is posing aggressive attitude against the party leadership. The party high command had surprised every one including party rank and file by changing leadership when every one was expecting action against the Kadapa MP. The change of leadership in the state government has assumed significance when the state is to be prepared to take on the fall out of the Sri Krishna Committee report to be given before 31st December. A strong message is apparently given by the Congress high command that it would like to tackle any kind of situation in near future with a firm hand. Holding responsibilities as Speaker of the Assembly till the other day, the 50-year old Kiran Kumar Reddy is now one among the youngest to occupy the highest post in the state Government. Hailing from a political family, he elected four times to the Assembly since 1989 and defeated only once in 1994. However, he never served as Minister. An accomplished wicketkeeper-batsman, he played for the Hyderabad team in the Ranji Trophy Cricket tournaments. AIR