Kiran Kumar Reddy is 16th chief minister of Andhra Pradesh (Second Lead)

HYDERABAD - N. Kiran Kumar Reddy took oath Thursday as the 16th chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, a day after K. Rosaiah resigned to terminate his 14-month government that was hamstrung by inner-party dissidence.

In his first action, Reddy went to a local hospital and interacted with poor patients.

Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Reddy at 12.14 p.m. at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan here. The 50-year-old leader from Chittoor district in Rayalaseema region, a keen cricketer who once represented his state in Ranji Trophy, took oath in Telugu.

The brief and simple ceremony was attended by Rosaiah, Congress party’s central leaders M. Veerappa Moily, Ghulam Nabi Azad, state Congress chief D. Srinivas, former ministers in Rosaiah’s cabinet, leaders of the Telugu Desam Party and other opposition parties.

Reddy, who alone took oath, will leave for New Delhi Friday to meet party president Sonia Gandhi and other central leaders for consultations to constitute his ministry.

He was earlier scheduled to leave Thursday evening but the visit was postponed on the direction of the central leadership.

Moily, who is also in charge of party affairs in the state, has announced that a deputy chief minister from Telangana would be appointed.

Immediately after taking oath, Reddy drove down to Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and met a few patients. He inquired about the implementation of Arogyasri scheme launched by late former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to provide free medical treatment to the poor.

The chief minister also garlanded the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi at different places in the city.

Congress legislators and leaders individually met Reddy at a guest house and congratulated him. The meeting was part of the consultation process to constitute the ministry.

Earlier, the governor invited Reddy to form the government after Srinivas Thursday morning called on him and informed him that the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has elected Reddy as the new leader in place of Rosaiah.

Gandhi Wednesday night named Reddy as the new chief minister, hours after the party legislators unanimously authorised her to choose the successor to Rosaiah, who resigned citing health reasons and work pressure.

But primarily it was his inability to deal with the growing rebellion of Jaganmohan Reddy, the ambitious son of his predecessor, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, that proved to be his downfall.

Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was the state assembly speaker, resigned from the post Wednesday night. He was earlier the government chief whip but was never a minister.

Son of former minister N. Amarnath Reddy, he represents Pileru constituency in Chittoor district of Rayalaseema region.

A four-term legislator, Kiran Kumar Reddy was born and brought up in Hyderabad. He studied B. Com. and law from the Osmania University. He was a passionate cricketer, captained the university team and also played for the Hyderabad team in the Ranji Trophy.

Reddy is the 16th chief minister of the state and the third from Chittoor district. Former chief minister and leader of opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu also hails from the same district.

Another key opposition leader and Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) chief K. Chiranjeevi represents Tirupati assembly constituency in Chittoor district.