Kiran Kumar Reddy Sworn In As CM

Pileru MLA N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday took oath as the 16th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, at a ceremony held in Raj Bhavan.

Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new chief minister at Darbar Hall, after incumbent K Rosaiah resigned on Wednesday in a surprise move. Reddy took oath in the name of God, at 12:14pm.

Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy (50), a 4-time MLA and YSR loyalist, is the son of late Congress leader Amarnath Reddy, who was considered the political guru of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.

According to sources, the new chief minister will expand his cabinet after consulting the high command in New Delhi.

Reddy hails from the Rayalaseema region, and was elected from Pileru Constituency in Chittoor district.

The Congress high command decided on Kiran Kumar Reddy to assume the top post in what is seen as an attempt to checkmate rebel Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Union Law Minister and incharge of AP affairs M Veerappa Moily, Union Health and Family welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, former chief minister K Rosaiah, Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Dadi Veera Bhadra Rao, Telangana Telugu Desam Party Forum convener Nagam Janardhana Reddy, Motkupalli Narsimhulu, government advisor K V P Ramachandra Rao, Congress senior leader K Kesava Rao, T Subbirami Reddy, former ministers, MLAs, MLCs and other prominent persons attended the program and congratulated him.

Kiran Kumar Reddy's mother Sarojanamma, wife Radhika Reddy and his relatives were also present at the event.

Immediately after taking the oath, the chief minister visited the Aarogyasri ward in the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences.

He asked the officials to implement the Rajiv Arogyasri scheme, the brain child of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, properly without giving room for corruption.

According to sources, Kiran Kumar Reddy will leave for New Delhi on Friday morning to meet the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, to discuss the expansion of the cabinet and other key issues.

Courtesy: INN