Andhra chief minister braces for Telangana storm

HYDERABAD - With the Telangana movement likely to intensify next month, Andhra Pradesh’s new chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy Thursday said his government would be firm in maintaining law and order.

Hours after taking oath Thursday, Reddy told a news conference that his priority would be to maintain peace, especially in Hyderabad.

“The government will be firm if the constitutional rights of citizens are violated,” he said.

Reddy, who hails from Rayalaseema, said his priority would be to ensure that Hyderabad becomes one of the country’s top investment destinations.

The state was rocked by violent protests late last year, when activists took to the streets, demanding a separate Telangana state.

Reddy said he would abide by central government directives on the matter.

The Srikrishna committee, which is looking into the Telangana issue, will submit its report to the central government by Dec 31.

Facing a volley of questions on Jaganmohan Reddy, son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy or YSR, he said he would try to take everyone along with him.

Reddy also vowed to fulfill YSR’s dream of winning 41 of Andhra Pradesh’s 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and help Rahul Gandhi become prime minister.

“He spoke about his dream only four to five days before his death. I will try my best to fulfill his last dream,” he said.

Reddy, who resigned as the state assembly speaker Wednesday, is the state’s 16th chief minister. He was earlier the government chief whip but was never a minister.