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Almost a week after the death of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash, Andhra Pradesh is facing an unprecedented situation as some of the ministers in the state seem to be staying away from their offices and are not extending cooperation to the Chief Minister Ken Rosaiah as they were upset with the party high command for not installing YSR's son Jaganmohan Reddy as chief minister.
Though it was an open secret that quiet a few ministers, who were YSR loyalists, were unhappy with Rosaiah becoming chief minister and never wanted to be a part of the cabinet under the elderly leader, the issue has now assumed serious dimensions as their feelings are affecting the normal functioning of the administration.
The issue came in sharp focus when at least two senior party members- agriculture minister N Raghuveera Reddy and civil supplies minister J Krishna Rao stayed away from the review meetings of their departments called by Rosaiah. Another YSR loyalist health minister D Nagendar came late for his meeting with the CM and left early. They were all among the ministers who had resisted the idea of taking a oath under the leadership of Rosaiah after YSR's untimely death.
Many other ministers are simply staying away from their chambers and many parts of the state secretariat wore a desolate look. Officials in the secretariat pointed out since the tragedy struck the state, official work has come to standstill and the ministers have stopped attending the office. "It is only Chief Minister Rosaiah who regularly attends office and disposes of files and attends meetings in the secretariat. Other ministers are simply not to be seen", a senior official said on the condition of anonymity.
Initially it was believed that the ministers were in deep shock and daze over the death of their beloved leader. But of late it is being seen as an attempt to scuttle the functioning of the government to put pressure on the high command to solve the issue of leadership and install Jaganmohan Reddy as the new chief minister.
A young minister in fact bluntly told Rosaiah that he was soon going back to his old portfolio (finance) to suggest that he will not remain the Chief Minister for a long time. The seasoned politician, Rosaiah is, smiled away the caustic remark but it is obvious that a group of minister was out to put down him.
But Rosaiah is refusing to be bogged down in such issues and fully concentrating on his work. When the reporters approached him on Thursday for his reaction to the absence of ministers from the meetings called by him, Rosaiah brushed it aside saying, "Nothing like that. All are working unitedly with a proper understanding. Absolutely there are no difference".
He said both Raghuveera Reddy and J Krishna Rao had gone to their respective districts of Anantapur and Mahbubnagar with his permission to attend the condolence meetings of YSR. "The meeting are also very important for us", Rosaiah said.
Some ministers on their part have also tried to clear the bad air. Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, the minister for municipal administration said that no body can even think of insulting an elderly leader like K Rosaiah. "There is no need for any body to even think of that. He is our senior leader and we will work under him", he said.
Another minister Pitani Satyanarayana said that whether it was Rosaiah or Jaganmohan
Reddy, who is the Chief Minister the ministers will work with them and respect them. "we will abide by the decision of the high command".